the agreement of the three Ministers to higher authorities and have it put into practice as Japan's national policy. 137 On 16 July 1940 the conference between representatives of the Army, Navy and Foreign Ministry resumed for the purpose of obtaining the opinions of the Army and Navy and the adoption of a unified policy. It was determined that the area to be embraced within the "New Order in the Far East" should extend from Burma and the eastern part of India to New Zealand, but that Burma, Australia and New Zealand should be excluded for the present. The fundamental principle of the coalition was con¬sidered to be mutual cooperation within the spheres intended to be established. The conferees expressed grave concern over the possibility that Germany at the close of the war would take over politically the Netherlands East Indies and French Indo-China. It was reported that Germany was willing to divide the Nether¬lands East Indies with Japan, which led to the conclusion on the part of the conferees that Germany proposed to take Jave, Sumatra and other territories. They resolved to firmly oppose German political expansion in those areas. The Japanese conception of "political leadership" in its strongest sense in the establish¬ment of the "New Order in East Asia" was considered to be "occupa¬tion" of the areas in question, and although it was agreed that "occupation at present" was not intended, yet it was deemed necessary "that the whole country conspire and unite on the point of political leadership and make Germany recognize as strong a political leadership as possible." The obligation to check 137 Exhibit 527, TP 6,191.