The Axis Pact was a military alliance signed by Germany, Italy, and Japan in 1940, prior to the outbreak of World War II. The purpose of the pact was to establish a formal alliance between these three countries and to ensure mutual cooperation and support in the event of war.
The statement "the Axis pact did not apply in cases of self-defense" means that if any of the Axis powers were attacked by a foreign power, the other members of the pact were not obligated to come to their defense. In other words, the pact did not require the members to provide military support to each other in cases of self-defense.
This provision was included in the Axis Pact to provide each member with some flexibility in their foreign policy decisions, while still maintaining the overall alliance. It also allowed each country to pursue its own interests, without necessarily involving the other members of the pact.