Prime Minister Hamaguchi Osachi's government, backed by genrō Saionji Kinmochi, approached the treaty as an instrument of fiscal restraint. Lower naval expenditure could support exports, infrastructure, and economic improvement while the other powers remained bound by the same limits. The objective was therefore not simply pacifist withdrawal, but a stronger relative position and the option to rebuild capability more quickly if circumstances changed. This watch point shows how one agreement could be promoted as peace while participating governments pursued different strategic uses for the time it created.
Notable Point · 23:47-25:04
Hamaguchi and Saionji use naval limits to buy time
Japan's civilian leadership treated naval restraint as a way to strengthen the economy while rival powers remained constrained by the same treaty system.