puppet state
A country that is nominally independent but in reality controlled by a foreign power.
That country was criticized as being nothing more than a puppet state.
傀儡政権 refers to a puppet government or regime, whereas 傀儡国家 refers to the entire state as a puppet entity.
Compound of 傀儡 (かいらい, 'puppet') and 国家 (こっか, 'state'). The term is a direct translation of the English 'puppet state'.