With Japan’s population largely increasing (reaching from 30-65 million by 1930) the country was running low on land and space on an island of 145,936 mi². Those in power then came up with the idea that Japan must have more land to feed their population, and must therefore colonize other lands. Writers then began to point out and argue that many countries had extra land that they felt they didn’t utilize it well enough, and could be easily taken over and used by the Japanese themselves (mostly thinking of China). Military leaders then began to say that military expansion was crucial the country’s survival, and supported the idea of the country's expansion of territory. Soon after ultranationalists then starting coming up with the idea that Japan should be a military dictatorship to limit wealth, nationalize property, and dominate Asia. Before long the country had become one full of ultranationlism and militarism, in which they wanted to take over as much land as possible and create a large empire from it.