Played Japan in the 1933 scenario. Started china war in 1938 and had no problems. My artillery/engineered double brigaded infantry cut through them like butter.
Germany on the other hand, did not get Vichy untill 1942 or something, and that was after I joined Germany and DoWed Switzerland to open up more of a front for them.
p.s. After Vichy fired, I (Japan) and my puppets were still at war with Petain's France. Germany of course made peace with them, but I guess the event did not think about me?