Abstract In string compactifications, frequently the anomalous U(1) gauge symmetry appears which belongs to $$E_8 \times E_8'$$ E 8 × E 8 ′ of the heterotic string. This anomalous U(1) gauge boson obtains mass at the compactification scale ( $$\approx 10^{18\,}\,\text {GeV}$$ ≈ 10 18 GeV ) by absorbing one pseudoscalar (corresponding to the model-independent axion) from the second rank antisymmetric tensor field $$B_{MN}$$ B MN . Below the compactification scale a global symmetry $$U(1)_{\mathrm{anom}}$$ U ( 1 ) anom results whose charge $$Q_\mathrm{anom}$$ Q anom is the original gauge U(1) charge. This is the most natural global symmetry, realizing the “invisible” axion. This global symmetry $$U(1)_{\mathrm{anom}}$$ U ( 1 ) anom is suita...