Japanese propaganda during World War II was designed to assist the ruling government of Japan during that time. Many of its elements were continuous with pre-war elements of statism in Showa Japan, including the principles of kokutai, hakko ichiu, and bushido. New forms of propaganda were developed to persuade occupied countries of the benefits of the Greater Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere, to undermine American troops' morale, to counteract claims of Japanese atrocities, and to present the war to the Japanese people as victorious. It started with the Second Sino-Japanese War, which merged into World War II. It used a large variety of media to send its messages.