Page 151

Parent Collaboration Between Japan, Germany and Italy Volume III
Date 23 February 1940
Language English
Collection Tavenner Papers & IMTFE Official Records
Box Box 15
Folder Japan, Germany, Italy Collaboration Vol 3
Repository University of Virginia Law Library
whom the Axis Berlin-Rome has been a firm concept for a long time will feel that such a difference is a matter of course. Besides, it was Japan which always urged a cautious formulation of the obligations in the Tripartite Pact. Germany and Italy would only welcome it if Japan would participate in the closer connections of the German- Italian Pact. Japan, however, can not demand and has no interest in the fact that Germany and Italy accommodate themselves to the level desired by Japan for the Tripartite Pact as far as their internal relationship is concerned* "(6) A parallel existence of the German-Italian pact and the Tripartite Pact involves no difficulties in the matter itself or from technical viewpoint. The various provisions of the present Japanese draft for a Tripartite Pact may remain entirely unchanged. It is only necessary to insert at the end an entirely formal article clarifying the relationship between the two pacts from a legal viewpoint. I handed a draft of the respective article to OSHIMA. # M(7) The German-Italian governments have the urgent wish that the Japanese Government reach its final decision quickly so that it would be possible to formulate secretly the Tripartite Pact simultaneously with the signing of the German-1 tali an Pact. This wish shows again, "that any thought of a political disregard of their relations to Japan is far from them. "I request of you to utilize the above viewpoints toward your confidant and if possible also toward the War Minister directly and thus to work for a quick and positive decision of the Government "there. In doing so I ask you to mention casually and in a fitting manner the following: If the