▁time ▁visited ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands , ▁although ▁contact ▁with ▁the ▁island ers ▁was ▁irregular . ▁After ▁the ▁Me iji ▁Rest oration ▁( 1 8 6 8 ), ▁the ▁Japanese ▁government ▁adopted ▁a ▁policy ▁of ▁turning ▁the ▁Japanese ▁Empire ▁into ▁a ▁great ▁economic ▁and ▁military ▁power ▁in ▁East ▁Asia . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁Japan ▁joined ▁the ▁Ent ente ▁during ▁World ▁War ▁I ▁and ▁captured ▁various ▁German ▁Empire ▁colon ies , ▁including ▁several ▁in ▁Mic ron esia . ▁Because ▁Germany ▁had ▁viewed ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁purely ▁as ▁an ▁economic ▁col ony , ▁they ▁made ▁no ▁attempt ▁to ▁defend ▁or ▁fort ify ▁the ▁islands ▁in ▁case ▁of ▁attack . ▁On ▁September ▁ 2 9 , ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁Japanese ▁troops ▁occupied ▁E new et ak , ▁and ▁on ▁September ▁ 3 0 , ▁ 1 9 1 4 , ▁J al uit , ▁the ▁administrative ▁centre ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands . ▁After ▁the ▁war , ▁on ▁June ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 1 9 , ▁Germany ▁was ▁forced ▁to ▁sign ▁the ▁Tre aty ▁of ▁Vers a illes , ▁ren oun cing ▁all ▁of ▁its ▁Pacific ▁poss essions , ▁including ▁the ▁Marshall ▁Islands . ▁On ▁December ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 1 9 2 0 , ▁the ▁Council ▁of ▁the ▁League ▁of ▁Nations ▁approved ▁the ▁South ▁Se as ▁Mand ate ▁for ▁Japan ▁to ▁take ▁over ▁all ▁former ▁German ▁colon ies ▁in ▁the ▁Pacific ▁Ocean ▁located ▁north ▁of ▁the ▁Equ ator . ▁The ▁administrative ▁center ▁of ▁the ▁Marshall