[Secret]

 
From: Rome
To: Tokyo
September 30, 1941
Purple
#627

Our recent negotiations with the United States have put a bad taste in the mouths of the people of this country. Our attitude toward the Tripartite Alliance appears to them to be faithless. Recently the newspapers have been growing more critical in tone where we Japanese are concerned. Official comment, too, has been none too complimentary. As for Italy's attitude toward the recent celebration of the first anniversary of the conclusion of the Japanese-German-Italian Tripartite Alliance, its coolness reflects the attitude of the whole Italian people. I mean to say:

1. The Propaganda Department told the press to confine itself to a mere mention of the present anniversary and to turn its attention mainly to other things, refraining from discussion of the bearing of this alliance upon the present international situation.

2. The ceremonies attendant upon this anniversary were carried out half-heartedly or even less by the Italians. It would even seem that this was done to spite Japan and Germany. At Villa Madama there was a reception held for CIANO, but certainly no festivities worth mentioning took place. At a reception held for the press, at first the German and Italian flags only were hanging in the hall. A Japanese reporter mentioned this, and then they pulled them all down.

3. When asked about felicitations and ceremonies, the Propaganda Department always replied that this was not a good time to be ostentatious.

Furthermore, the other day PRUNAS told ANDO that word had been received from Ambassador INDELLI that when he inquired of the Japanese Foreign Office officials concerning the negotiations between Japan and the United States, they were very reserved and uncommunicative, showing that their erstwhile fervor for the Axis was not as glowing as in days gone by.

All this shows how dissatisfied the Italian people are. All I can say is that the exercises held in Tokyo on the and the Minister's speech, together with the messages from the Premier and Minister, saved the situation perhaps to some extent.

 
Army 22946.                                           Trans. 10/2/41 (G) 

 

(EXHIBITS OF JOINT COMMITTEE , EXHIBIT NO. 1 INTERCEPTED DIPLOMATIC MESSAGES SENT BY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT BETWEEN JULY l AND DECEMBER 8, 1941)