Matsuoka served as the Minister of Foreign Affairs under Prime Minister Konoe. During the early outbreak of World War II, Matsuoka advocated for a closer alliance with Germany and Italy which ultimately lead to the Tri-Partite Pact. He often traveled to Germany for discussions with Joachim von Ribbentrop. Many documents in our collection reference these discussions as well as other diplomatic matters where Matsuoka was involved. During the trial, his American Associate Counsel was Franklin E. N. Warren. Shunzo Kobayashi served as his Japanese Chief Counsel with Kenichiro Matsuoka as his Japanese Associate Counsel. Less than 2 months after convening the Tribunal, Matsuoka died on June 26, 1946. Controversially, he was later enshrined, along with 13 other convicted defendants, at the Yasukuni Shrine.
