I paid a visit to the Minister for Foreign Affairs on the evening
of 12th March at his private house immediately before his
departure for Europe and emphasised the earnestness of Great
Britain and the Dominions in the war, our determination and our
strength. I expressed to him my belief that he would be subjected
in Berlin to great pressure and possibly to deceit to induce him
to agree to action which would not be to the ultimate benefit of
Japan and might threaten the peace of the Pacific.

Mr. Matsuoka emphasised at length his determination not to agree
to any such proposal and that the object of his journey was to
make personal contact with the men with whom he was working, and
to explain to them his plan for securing peace in the world. Full
report of the interview in next bag. [1]