March 12, 1941 Minister of Foreign Affairs Matsuoka visits Germany and Italy by way of the Soviet Union. Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact (Centre is Minister of Foreign Affair Matsuoka signing of the treaty, and Stalin is standing right behind him) (As of 1941 April 25) (offered by Keiyousya) From Wednesday, March 12, 1941, Minister of Foreign Affairs Yosuke Matsuoka visits Germany and Italy by way of the Soviet Union. He works to conclude the Neutrality Pact with the Soviet Union, but was unable to have the country included in the Tripartite Military Alliance with Japan, Germany and Italy. Document 1: B04013489500 Documents Related to the Tripartite Pact Treaty, Vol. 1; Dismemberment 1 (Images 13 to 20), “Minutes from the Conference among the Army, Navy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Strengthening the Alliance of the Tripartite Pact (1940, 1932, 1937)” B04013489500 Documents Related to the Tripartite Pact Treaty, Vol. 1; Dismemberment 1 (From the left side of image 26 to image 34) July 16, 1940, at Minister of Foreign Affairs “Minutes from the Conference among the Army, Navy and Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Strengthening the Alliance of the Tripartite Pact, Vol. 2.” Document 2: B04013489600 Documents Related to the Tripartite Pact Treaty, Vol. 1; Dismemberment 2 (Images 72 to 95) September 26, 1940, Precise Minutes of the Privy Council’s Review Committee for the Tripartite Pact Treaty; Chief, Bureau of Military Affairs (Top Secret) Document3: B04013490200 Documents Related to the Tripartite Pact Treaty, Vol. 2; Dismemberment 1 (Images 56 to 68) Document 4: B02030714300 1. From February 15, 1941 through March 15, 1941 (Image 8 on the right) “Official telegram No. 113 from Ambassador Nomura to Foreign Minister Matsuoka on February 25, 1941” (Foreign Affairs-Secret, Chief Officer’s Code) On July 20 1940, Yosuke Matsuoka became Minister of Foreign Affairs in the second Konoe Cabinet, and was trying to build a strong partnership with Germany and Italy. On September 9, 1940, he started negotiations for the alliance, and persuaded the Navy during the talks about their obligation to join a war (when any one of the countries enters a war, the other alliance countries have the obligation to participate in the war). At the same time, he held a conference with Germany to request a compromise from them, and the Tripartite Pact was signed on September 27. After that, he attempted to complete the Four-Power Entente including the Soviet Union, and went to visit Germany and the Soviet Union on March 12, 1941. Document 1 contains the minutes from the conference with the bureau chiefs from the army, navy and the Foreign Ministry, held by the Foreign Ministry regarding the Tripartite Pact talks, and contains information on Foreign Ministry explaining the strategy to the army and navy. Document 2 contains the minutes from the conference during which the Tripartite Pact was discussed at the Privy Council, and includes questions that were asked of Minister Matsuoka such as whether the alliance with Germany creates any bad influence on relations with the U.S. Document 3 contains the record of the imperial conference held on September 19, 1940, in which the conclusion of the Tripartite Pact was decided and Minister Matsuoka explained his foreign policy.