19 Feb. 1946 Q. What makes you say you think that? A. I base this on the fact that in Japan it is absolutely impossible for somebody not connected with the General Staff of the Army or Navy to discuss such matters as war plans. It might be possible in Europe and I believe that Churchill and Roosevelt were able to discuss these matters, but in Japan this is the absolute Prerogative of the General Staffs. Q. General, you have been giving me that type of answer every time I have asked you anything about this. Instead of admitting that he did talk about these things, you tell me that he could not talk about them. It is not reasonable for me to believe that MATSUOKA during these serious times when the affairs of your nation and the affairs of Germany were in such a critical condition that he would go all the way to Germany and just hope to be better acquainted with Ribbentrop when he returned. Frankly, that does not smack of truth to me and I think you know more than you are telling us, and I think it is to your own advantage not to hold anything back. Do not try to cover up with that type of answer. A. I realize that it is to my advantage to speak of matters that I know at this moment. However, I definitely state that I am telling you everything I know and everything that I believe to the best of my knowledge. It is my intention and conviction to speak of everything that I know truthfully. Q. Now, you are not trying to tell us that MATSUOKA did not talk about these military matters at meetings at which you were not present? A. The point that arises is that as I see it, did MATSUOKA discuss any of these matters with the Germans at any meetings he had when I was not present. I can definitely state he never told me that he had had any such discussions. The question then arises did he talk of these matters and not tell me about them, and I can only say that to the best of my belief he did not. Q. Did he tell you what he talked about at those meetings? A. Beyond what I told you yesterday he did not tell me anything of such importance that remains in my memory. Q. Proceed. A. That is about all in so far as this question is concerned. Q. Now, referring to your initial meeting with Hitler, at which Ribbentrop, MATSUOKA and you were present, you stated a while ago that they talked about the Three Power Pact and Hitler wanted to know whether it was popular in Japan. What was the reply to Hitler to that question and who gave it? A. I meant in my last answer that he had spoken about overall matters concerning the Three Power Pact, such as its popularity in Japan. I cannot definitely say whether he asked that specific question or not. Q. Well, evidently, the subject of the popularity of the pact in Japan was discussed at that meeting with Hitler. Now, I want to know what was said at that meeting regarding that particular subject. A. I have no remembrance of specific matters that were discussed. I included that question of popularity as being one of the subjects that was possibly discussed at this meeting. Q. It seems to me that at such an important meeting and so comparatively recent in point of time, and among such important people in world affairs of that day, that you should be able to remember 108