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Who actually controlled Manchukuo despite Puyi’s role as emperor?

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Map of eastern Asia highlighting Manchuria in northeastern China, which includes the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The highlighted area borders Russia, Mongolia, and North Korea. — Manchuria The historical region of Manchuria shown with the boundaries of the modern-day Chinese provinces in its place as well as the portion of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region that is often considered part of Manchuria.

Although Puyi held the title of emperor, he was merely a figurehead in the puppet state of Manchukuo. Actual control of the region lay with the Kwantung Army, a contingent of the Japanese Imperial Army stationed in Manchuria.12

While the government of Manchukuo was nominally in Chinese hands, it was rigidly supervised and directed by the Japanese. All key positions within the administration were held by Japanese officials, leaving only surface authority to cooperative Chinese individuals. The Japanese utilized this control to transform the region into an industrial and military base to support their broader expansion into Asia.321