THE ANTI-COMINTERN AGREEMENT

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23353, 19 November 1937, Page 16

THE ANTI-COMINTERN AGREEMENT

STATEMENT BY JAPANESE FOREIGN OFFICE The Japanese Consul-general at Sydney has forwarded the following statem At 11 o’clock a.m. (7 p.m. Japan time) on November 6 the protocol concerning the participation of Italy in the Japanese-German agreement against the Communist International has been signed in Rome between the delegates of Japan, Germany, and Italy, and has immediately come into effect. Article 2 of the agreement against the Communist International, which was concluded in Berlin between Japan and Germany on November 2o year, provides that the two countries should jointly invite the participation of Third Powers in the agreement. _ it Is in accordance with this provision that the participation of Italy has been brought about, that country being as firmly determined as Japan and Germany in its opposition against the destructive operations of the Communist International. . . Now, with the first anniversary of the conclusion of the Japanese-Ger-man Anti-Comintern Agreement close at hand, the significance and efficacy of the agreement are now being more and more deeply appreciated everywhere. To-day, when we have before our own eyes concrete evidence showing that, in the West, the internecine war of more than a year and a-half n Spain, and, in the East, the surreptitious activities of the Communist Party and the Anti-Japanese Peoples Front which are disturbing the stability of East Asia, are both due to nothing other than the machinations of the Communist International, it is really encouraging that the Anti-Comintern Front formed by Japan and Germany has been further strengthened by the participation of Italy, which has been of late making spectacular progress under the leadership of Premier Mussolini. This indeed is a matter for sincere congratulations in the cause of the peace and civilisation of the world. The cordial relations now subsisting between Japan. Germany, and Italy will, I believe, be further promoted through the conclusion of the present protocol, which means the realisation of the aims of the Anti-Comintern policy which the Japanese Government has ever been constantly pursuing. There is no change in Japan’s desire for participation in the present agreement by all other Powers, as lopg as they agree with her on the point of opposing Communism.