13 Feb. 1946 you returned to Tokyo? A. After I returned to Japan I wanted to retire completely from public life and in order to realize this ambition I built a small villa at Chigasaki and retired there; and I refused to have any part in various activities or to make any public speeches. However, I did speak to small groups from various societies, such as the Gaiko Kyokai and the Yuko Club and others. These talks were about conditions in Germany and were not specifically concerned with the Tripartite Pact. Of course, I was not against the Tripartite Pact and hence may have spoken on the overall plans and negotiations regarding it, but did not concern myself with any specific talks on this subject, but rather kept the scope of my remarks in a wider field. Q. General, are there any copies of these addresses available so that we could see them? A. I doubt it. I had no idea of having any addresses published. I repeat that I do not believe that I spoke specifically at any time about the Tripartite Pact. People were very interested in Japan at that time regarding Germany and the progress of the European War and other matters, and I confined myself to these subjects. I do not believe that I ever openly made an address advocating the consummation of the Tripartite Pact. I would like to add here that while many societies asked me to join I had nothing whatsoever to do with them. Q. General, my real question was to find the necessary steps in the progress of events that ultimately led to the final signing of the Tripartite Pact. A. I had no official position and hence did not know how the Government felt, but I believe that for a time all thought of the pact died completely. As you know, Japan decided not to have any part in the European War, and for a period there was a good deal of Anti-German writings in the newspapers. It is my belief that after Germany’s successes in France and the Western Front in general the Japanese Government began to feel again that such a pact would be desirable. Q. At this point, let us adjourn until tomorrow and we will pick the story up here. 74