Japan and the U.S.S.R. concluded the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact on April 13, 1941.
Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka left Tokyo on March 12, 1941 and first passed through the U.S.S.R. on his way to visit Germany and Italy. He then returned to the U.S.S.R., where he concluded the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact.
  • Document 1 is issue No. 165 of Shashin Shuho, which was published on April 23, 1941. It covers Foreign Minister Matsuoka’s visit to the U.S.S.R. and Germany. This issue provides an explanation of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact (see the sixth image) and shows photographs of Foreign Minister Matsuoka during his visit to Germany and the U.S.S.R. (see the tenth to thirteenth images)


Document 1 : A06031076000　Shashin Shuho (Weekly Photographical Journal) No. 165



For additional documents and commentary about Foreign Minister Matsuoka’s visit to the U.S.S.R, Germany, and Italy, see the following website. (Note: Only part of this exhibition is available in English. The following link is in Japanese.)


*Special Internet exhibition The US-Japan War Talks as seen in official documents: Detailed Chronology
On March 12, 1941, Foreign Minister Yosuke Matsuoka visited Germany and Italy after passing through the U.S.S.R.
　　http://www.jacar.go.jp/nichibei/popup/pop_04.html


For additional documents and commentary about the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact, see the following website. (Note: Only part of this exhibition is available in English. The following link is in Japanese.)


*Special Internet exhibition The US-Japan War Talks as seen in official documents: Detailed Chronology
　　The conclusion of the Soviet-Japanese Neutrality Pact on April 13, 1941.
　　http://www.jacar.go.jp/nichibei/popup/19410413a.html



Japan Center for Asian Historical Records, National Archives of Japan