I think it is

I like to think the metaphor is geared towards "relationship". And oddly how two people or in this case two nations, coming together under dier circumstances. Germany and Japan are, or can be said to be "polar oppisites". (kinda like the relationship between Billy Bob and Halley Bary in the film "Monster Ball") Both Japan and Germany at that time were in a bad state. I'm sure they tried to communicate their dier situation to the world but obviously to no avail. This could be due to the "lost in translation phenomenon." Not literally words but through the understandment or in this case the misunderstanding of cultures. (This usually is when ego's come in to play) Or it could of been that the issues adressed to the West fell on deaf ears, when these two nations were seeking advice if not help. "Fundamental problems, all need to be faced,this is important,but i know youre not listening" Pretty much that line states what their issues was, and how the world negleted to listen and to see what was happening to their nation. If you think about it these two nations were doing what needed to be done for the survival of their country and people. Nothing wrong with that, (that could be considered fundamental problem). Another aspect was that this was a new world for everyone at that time (Industrial revolution). Nation building was not like what is was even 50 years before that time. A whole new game with new rules being written by the large capitalist industrial nations of the west. When Japan was left on it's own to deal with their problems (one of them; being afraid of an invasion from the Soviets) they turned to Germany. Being that they both had a common enemy with the Soviets Reds. "Nothing more important then to know someones listening" is the reassurance that Japan was greatly in search of. The two misunderstood nations found what you can say empathy in and understandment for eachother. (another common bond they had were that they both were facist states with a strong nationalist population, along with a culturely rich and proud history that dates back, a ways back in time.) Something they were proud of and wanted hold on to, while the rest of the world was shifting towards capitalisim. "Lost in Translation" comes into play here too as well.
I can ramble on and on,but i suppose i'll stop here. Again i refer back to the film "Monsters Ball" very parallel in theme with the theme being "realationship through necessity"


It's "IMPOSSIBLE" for Germany to be a threat after we dismanteled their military (after ww1)thats what they perceived at the time. And for a small nation like Japan to be a world threat especially after the Soviets crushed them recently in war, was "UNLIKELY."