28 Feb. 1946 A. I believe it was a reception given by Ribbentrop. I do not recall for certain whether it was the day that MATSUOKA left or before that. Q. My information is to the effect that at that dinner or reception, whatever it was, you were present, Ribbentrop was present, Ambassador Ott was present, Stahmer was present, and some other man from your Embassy, whose name I do not have. A. Yes, they were present. Q. Do you remember who this other man from your Embassy was? A. Counselor Kase, 1 I believe. Q. My information is that on that occasion MATSUOKA suggested to Ribbentrop that he, MATSU- OKA, was going to Moscow to seek this Non-Aggression Pact, and that he asked Ribbentrop how he felt about it, and I am further told that Ribbentrop replied in an indirect manner by stating that the feeling between Russia and Germany at that time was very strained and he indicated to MATSUOKA that any dealings with Russia would be looked upon by Germany with suspicion. Do you remember that? A. I have not heard from MATSUOKA that Ribbentrop went as far as to say that Germany would view with suspicion any such negotiations. As I told you the other day, I have heard that Ribbentrop did not particularly say he favored the Alliance, nor did he particularly oppose it. Q. Can you tell us how Ambassador Ott happened to be in Germany at that time? A. It is more or less diplomatic protocol for the Ambassador Resident in the country to proceed ahead and make preparations if the Foreign Minister was going to visit the Ambassador’s home country. To go further on the MATSUOKA-Ribbentrop matter, as subsequent events showed - that is to say, the things that Counselor Kase found out when he went to Moscow - MATSUOKA must have known from his conversation with Ribbentrop that Germany did not particularly desire Japan to get friendly with Russia. Q. At this point let us adjourn until tomorrow. 1 There are two of them. One was in the Foreign Office and this one was the Ambassador to Switzerland. 166