I am very happy to have this opportunity to say a few words of greetings on this occasion of the second anniversary of the conclusion of the Tripartite
Pact among Japan, Germany and Italy which is being celebrated here today with impressive ceremonies.
Two years have passed since our Empire, under the August Virtues of His Imperial Majesty, desiring to enable all nations to find each its proper place in the world and all peoples to live in peace and safety, concluded the Tripartite Pact with Germany and Italy which shared with us the same views and aspirations. At that time Germany and Italy were already involved in war, while Japan, confronted by a world crisis in the midst of her prosecution of the China Affair, has done everything in her power vis-a-vis the United States and Great Britain in order to settle the situation peacefully. However, the ambitious designs of the United States and Great Britain had at last compelled our Empire to rise in arms and on December 8 the Imperial Rescript declaing war was graciously granted.
In these two years, Japan, Germany and Italy have steadily grown in the intimacy of their relations and their co-operation has produced substantial results. Especially since Japan's participation in the war the three Powers have in conjunction developed their military operations on a grand scale, both in the East and in the West, and have achieved signal victories unparalleled in world history. Thus, with the hope for a brilliant future, they are progressing step by step toward the realization of their common objective. This is a source of profound gratification for the three allies who have pledged themselves as partners and also for each of those countries which are collaborating with the three Powers.
Japan is a nation, loyal to her friends, and strong in her sense of fidelity. It is in this fidelity that the nation finds its iron unity and the three allied Powers their basis for co-operation. This virtue of Japan, fostered for the past three thousand years, is sublime and immutable and will never be shaken by the vicissitudes of the world situation. It is a virtue that will stand firm no matter what kind of machination the enemy may employ against us.
Japan is determined to achieve the ultimate victory in the present unprecedentedly great war by strict observance of this virtue of fidelity, internally by strengthening further the unity of the entire nation and externally by cementing the bonds of the Tripartite Pact.
On this auspicious occasion of the second anniversary of the conclusion of the Tripartite Pact, I wish again to express my profound congratulations and firmly pledge that we shall, on the basis of the unshakable bonds of co-operation that bind the three Powers, march forward resolutely toward the attainment of our common objective.