Three-Power Pact among Germany, Italy, and Japan (Tripartite Pact)Being equally animated by the earnest desire of reaffirming
and further strengthening the traditional bonds of friendship
between Thailand and Japan, and
Being convinced that the peace and the stability of East Asia
is the common concern of the two States,
Have resolved to conclude a treaty, and for that purpose have
named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:
His Majesty the King of Thailand: Phya Sri Sena, Knight
Grand Cross of the Most Noble Order of the Crown of Thai-
land, His Majesty’s Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipo-
tentiary at the Court of His Majesty the Emperor of Japan;
His Majesty the Emperor of Japan: Hachiro Arita,
Zyosanmi, Grand Cordon of the Imperial Order of the Rising
Sun, His Imperial Majesty’s Minister for Foreign Affairs;
Who, after having communicated to each other their respec-
tive full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed
upon the following articles:
Article I. The High Contracting Parties shall mutually
respect each other’s territorial integrity and hereby reaffirm the
constant peace and the perpetual friendship existing between
them.
Article 2. The High Contracting Parties shall mutually main-
tain friendly contact in order to exchange information, and to
consult one another, on any question of common interest that
may arise.
Article 3. In the event of one of the High Contracting Parties
suffering an attack from any third Power or Powers, the other
Party undertakes not to give aid or assistance to the said Power
or Powers against the Party attacked.
Article 4. The present Treaty shall be ratified and the ratifica-
tions thereof shall be exchanged at Bangkok, as soon as possible.
Article 5. The present Treaty shall come into effect on the
date of the exchange of ratifications and shall remain in force
for five years from that date.
In case neither of the High Contracting Parties shall have
given notice to the other six months before the expiration of the
said period of five years of its intention to terminate the Treaty,
it shall continue operative until the expiration of one year from
the date on which either Party shall have given such notice.
In witness whereof the respective Plenipotentiaries have
signed the present Treaty and have hereunto affixed their seals.
Done in duplicate, at T ̄oky ̄o, this twelfth day of the third
month in the two thousand four hundred and eighty-third year
of the Buddhist Era, corresponding to the twelfth day of the
sixth month in the fifteenth year of Sy ̄owa, and the twelfth day
of June in the nineteen hundred and fortieth year of the Chris-
tian Era.
(L. S.) Phya Sri SENA.
(L. S.) Hachiro ARITA.
Certified true copy:
Delegate of Thailand.
(Signature illegible.)
4.1312 Three-Power Pact among Germany,
Italy, and Japan (Tripartite Pact)
Alliance Members:Germany, Italy, Japan, Hungary (November 20,
1940), Romania (November 23, 1940), and Bulgaria (March 1, 1941)
Signed On:September 27, 1940, in the city of Berlin. In force until
December 11, 1941.
Alliance Type:Defense Pact (Type I)
Source:League of Nations Treaty Series,vol. 204, p. 386.SUMMARY
This agreement formed the basis for the Axis alliance during World
War II. The agreement recognized spheres of influence within Europe
and Asia and committed all signatories to cooperation against any
eventual attack by a third party. Article Three, in many respects, served
as a warning to the United States to remain neutral in both the Euro-
pean and Asian theaters of conflict.
The defense pact replaced the Anti-Comintern Pact and the earlier
Japanese-German agreement on cooperation. The commitments
made in this treaty were renegotiated for joint prosecution of the war
after the United States entered the war against Japan in December
1941.Alliance Text
The governments of Germany, Italy and Japan, considering it as
a condition precedent of any lasting peace that all nations of the
world be given each its own proper place, have decided to stand
by and co-operate with one another in regard to their efforts in
greater East Asia and regions of Europe respectively wherein it
is their prime purpose to establish and maintain a new order of
things calculated to promote the mutual prosperity and welfare
of the peoples concerned.
Furthermore, it is the desire of the three governments to
extend co-operation to such nations in other spheres of the
world as may be inclined to put forth endeavours along lines
similar to their own, in order that their ultimate aspirations for
world peace may thus be realized.
Accordingly, the governments of Germany, Italy and Japan
have agreed as follows:
Article One. Japan recognizes and respects the leadership of
Germany and Italy in establishment of a new order in Europe.
Article Two. Germany and Italy recognize and respect the
leadership of Japan in the establishment of a new order in
greater East Asia.
Article Three. Germany, Italy and Japan agree to co-operate
in their efforts on aforesaid lines. They further undertake to
assist one another with all political, economic and military
means when one of the three contracting powers is attacked by
a power at present not involved in the European war or in the
Chinese-Japanese conflict.
Article Four. With the view to implementing the present
pact, joint technical commissions, members which are to be
appointed by the respective governments of Germany, Italy and
Japan will meet without delay.