be influenced by reasons of expediency /zweckmassigkeit/. If I undertook to express them with all frankness, it was because I was guided exclusively by the sincere desire to bring our endeavors to a satisfactory conclusion.' 4 May 1939 (without signature) "Close of the statement. "I hear from army circles that the Prime Minister took this surprising course to personally counteract any doubts that may have arisen in Berlin and Rome concerning the situation and readiness of Japan and to arrive at a compromise as far as possible^ "The Foreign Minister, when he handed over the statement, was visibly in a bad mood. Will try to clarify unobtrusively the army's interpretation. OTT" .M: (b) Document 4043C, (Exhibit No, "Telegram (Secret Cipher Process) "Tokyo, 6 May 19391400 Arrived, 6 May 19391415 No. 187 of 6 MayMost Urgentl Very Secret "Top Secret - For the State Secretary "Annex to telegram of fourth, No. 184. "Declarations of various General Staff officers, among them that of my former confidant who is working in direct accordance with instructions from the War Minister as well