What is the main conflict in Empire of the Sun by J. G. Ballard?

The stoy takes place just after the bombing of Pwarl Harbour in 1941. Jim is the only child of a wealthy British couple living in Shanghai for business reasons. Shanghai is already occupied by Japanese forces, concerning many people, including Jim’s parents, about escalating violence. Jim, however, is not afraid of the war, but interested in it. He admires the Japanese soldiers’ bravery and has a strong fascination with fighter planes. Soon after the Pearl Harbor attack, the Japanese open fire in Shanghai.