Hughes demanded that Australia have independent representation within the newly formed League of Nations. Hughes was concerned by the rise of Japan: within months of the declaration of the European War in 1914, Japan seized all German Pacific Island territories north of the equator. In concert with this, Australia and New Zealand occupied the German possessions south of the equator. Although Japan occupied the German territories with the blessings of the British, Hughes was alarmed by this policy. At the Paris Peace Conference, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa argued their case to keep their occupied German possessions of German Samoa, German South West Africa and German New Guinea; these territories were given a "Class C Mandate" to the respective Dominions. In a same-same deal Japan obtained control over its occupied German possessions north of the equator. Hughes obtained a class C mandate for New Guinea.