Following the participation a short time ago of Hungary, Rumania, Slovakia and Bulgaria in the Three-Power Pact, Jugoslavia has also decided to join, and the Protocol concerning her participation was signed on March 25, at the Belvedere Palace in Vienna between the Plenipotentiaries of Japan, Germany and Italy and the Plenipotentiary of Jugoslavia. The contents of the Protocol are exactly similar to those of the participation of Hungary and others. In view of the fact that Jugoslavia is an influential nation in the Balkans and her course of action has for some time past attracted attention, her participation in the Tripartite Pact has great diplomatic significance. It is not, therefore, too much to say that the trend of the Balkan situation has now become definitely clear. With the historic visit of the Foreign Minister, Mr. Yosuke Matsuoka, to Berlin to take place tomorrow, we can well imagine the gratification of the peoples of Germany and Italy—a fact which is to be sincerely congratulated upon.
Since 1924, Japan has maintained friendly relations with Jugoslavia through her Minister to Rumania who was concurrently her Minister to Jugoslavia, but at present the Japanese Minister to Hungary is in charge of the matters pertaining to the relations between Japan and Jugoslavia. Needless to say, the cordial relations between Japan and Jugoslavia will become increasingly closer through the latter's participation in the Three-Power Pact.