"The policy which the government decided upon to bring about the annihilation of the Chiang Kai-shek administration has not undergone any change whatever since the statement to that effect was issued January 16.
"I think the close relations between the Kuomintang and the Communist Party will result in the gradual strengthening of the influence of the Communist Party as the hostilities progress.
"In this connection, there is a growing opinion that the Italo-German-Japanese—anti-Comintern accord should be strengthened. The government approves of a strengthening of the Berlin-Rome-Tokyo axis and concrete plans concerning this question are being considered."
The Premier reaffirmed that the government intends to respect the rights and interests of the Powers in China, He said Japan has no intention of closing China's door against third Powers; he added that they "must be persuaded to abandon their. assistance to the Chiang Kai-shek regime."
He said the government would issue a statement shortly before or after the fall of Hankow "branding the Chiang Kai-shek regime as a provincial administration."
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.