4 Feb. 1355-1600 hours. Q. Who were they? A. Although I have not heard it from the man himself, I believe Godo, Takuo for example, wanted my appointment. Q. Why? A. He was one of those that wished to bring German technical developments to Japan and wished me to work toward that end. Q. What, if any, political parties and what, if any, groups urged your appointment as Ambassador? A. I do not believe there was any political group or military group - rather I prefer to have it said that it was General Staff Headquarters and the War Ministry. Q. Do I understand then that in so far as your appointment as Ambassador was concerned the only authorities or only people that urged your appointment and wanted your appointment were the General Staff Headquarters and War Ministry? A. To the best of my knowledge from my distant vantage point in Berlin there were no others, but the ones I named before. I reiterate that I am not a member of any Army group. Q. Who was the War Minister that urged your appointment? A. General ITAGAKI, I believe. Q. If my memory serves me correctly, Friday you told us at the time you were named Ambassador you just changed positions from Military Attache to Ambassador without going back to Japan? A. That is correct. Q. Did you receive any special instructions from your Government at that time on any particular military matters to which they wanted you to give special attention? A. No. I repeat again that the Ambassador cannot be concerned with military matters. Q. But we have an Ambassador now who was a military man who was selected by the War Department and by General Staff Headquarters because of that fact. A. No. I had no connection with military matters. Q. Do you mean to tell us now that the War Ministry and the Chief of Staff, after insisting that you, who had performed your duties well as Military Attache, and who at their insistence was named Ambassador because of your military information and because of your ability to get along with the Military people of Germany - that means nothing and that you stepped right out of the Military picture? A. I do not mean to say I had no connection whatsoever with military matters; I am pointing out that no direct recommendations or direct negotiations could be made by me as Ambassador. To give a concrete example, I could not recommend to the Japanese Army that we purchase certain types of cannon from Germany. However, if the Military Attache comes to me and says “we would like to buy such and such guns, but are having a hard time carrying out the negotiations, ” I can then carry on and try to obtain them. I am telling you the truth about this matter and wish you to understand that. Q. I do not doubt that, but you are evading my question. 36