this aim, Japan required the cooperation of some other Power, that negotiations were going on at present for this purpose, and that as that cooperation was confined to the checking of Bolshevic operations, it would be no obstacle to the friendly relations of Japan and Soviet Russia. As the Agreement had not yet been made public, I could not tell him fully of its substance. It can be easily imagined that the Soviet Government has conjec- tured the existence of some form of secret agreement other than that against Communism. * 1,1 It was planned to have the Russo-Japanese Fishery Treaty signed on the 20th of this month, but this was postponed by Soviet Russia. The reason, it is said, is that, hearing that an understanding has been made between Japan and Germany against Communism, some people in Soviet Government circles are opposed to the immediate signing of the Treaty. However, I feel that when the Japan-German Agreement is announced, and the fact that it is only intended against the Comintern becomes clear, the treaty will eventually be signed. Should Soviet- Russia decline to sign, there will be no treaty, and there will remain no other way than to fish freely. But Russia, I think, does not desire such consequences. For, in spite of hearing rumors for a long time that some sort of negotiation is being carried out between Japan and Germany, Soviet Russia has shown a good deal of sincerity in both the oil and fishery negotiations as also in the discussion of boundary problems.