The Japanese Government have today concluded with the Government of the Republic of China the 'Pact of Alliance between Japan and the Republic of China.' As a result of the conclusion of this Pact, the Treaty Relating to the Basic Affairs between Japan and China and the Documents attached thereto have lost their validity and, at the same time, the treaty relations between the two countries have entered upon a period of epochal development.
The Japanese Government previously made clear, in their statement of January 9 of this year, their convictions regarding Japan's policy toward China to meet the new situation following the outbreak of the war of greater East Asia. Since that time, Japan has steadily translated into action what was publicly declared in that statement and thereby extended her utmost aid toward the speedy establishment of a new China on the basis of self-asserting independence and manifestation of the political power of the National Government, and the latter also, in concert with Japan, have taken measures to reinforce themselves and strengthened their co-operation for the prosecution of the war, resulting in the smooth and satisfactory development of the new relations between the two countries.
With the outbreak of the war of greater East Asia, the situation in this part of the world has undergone a radical change. Before the war, the aggressive activities of the United States and Britain were rampant and consequently Japan was placed in a position where she could not ignore the realities of this situation in determining her treaty relations with China. But after the war broke out, the influence of the United States and Britain has been completely expelled and the National Government have also declared war against those countries. As a result, Japan and China have come to deem it appropriate to readjust their treaty relations to conform wth [sic] the new situation in order that they may, untrammelled by all past circumstances revert to their normal and proper status as good neighbours and accomplish their common mission of collaborating to stabilize greater East Asia and promote its renaissance and prosperity. This indeed is the reason why the new Pact has been concluded.
Japan has already secured with Manchoukuo, Thailand, Burma and the Philippines close co-operative relations based on justice and has now firmly established with the Republic of China a new foundation for their co-operation.
Thus, the order to assure the common prosperity and well-being of all countries in greater East Asia is steadily being realized.
The Japanese Government, confidently expecting an epochal progress of Japanese-Chinese relations in conformance with the spirit of the new Pact and, at the same time, being unstinting in extending every possible assistance for the complete realization of China's self-asserting independence, and expecting that Japan and China will together in close co-operation march vigorously forward toward the successful prosecution of the present war and the establishment of a new order in greater East Asia, hereby make known their convictions both at home and abroad.