It is a matter for hearty congratulation that the cultural agreement between Japan and Italy, for the conclusion of which negotiations have
been going on in Tokyo between the representatives of both countries since the end of last year, has today been formally signed and gone into effect.
At the time of the conclusion of the Japanese-German Cultural Agreement, the Japanese Government declared that it would cooperate in cultural undertakings with those foreign countries which are in friendly relationship with Japan through bilateral agreements based on the principle of reciprocity, and not through the League of Nations. It is quite natural that, following the conclusion of such a cultural agreement with Germany, Japan should have entered into a similar agreement with Italy, with which our country has long enjoyed intimate cultural relations in the fields of arts and sciences. The fact that the cultural intercourse between the Japanese and Italian peoples will, by virtue of the present agreement, grow further in intimacy and that the two nations will further deepen their knowledge and understanding of each other will in no small measure contribute toward the promotion of understanding and amicable relationship between the two countries which has grown exceptionally cordial under the anti-Comintern agreement.
Of late, admiration in various countries abroad for Japanese culture has been increasing. At the same time the interest of Japan and Italy for the study of each other's culture is particularly keen, and the undertakings for their cultural exchange are growing too numerous to mention. In view of Japan's important mission of contributing toward the cultural progress of the world through the creation of a new unified culture in East Asia, we find the conclusion of the present agreement especially significant, providing as it does a firm basis for cultural cooperation between the two countries and the consolidation of their spiritual union. It presents an opportunity to demonstrate fully our culture, while absorbing at the same time the best in Italian culture.
The present agreement is similar to the Japanese-German Cultural Agreement in that, while providing a basic policy for the cultural cooperation between the two countries, it leaves concrete matters to be determined by consultation between the competent authorities of both countries as the occasion demands and to be put into practice freely and appropriately.