American distance from the League of Nations, wider access to German technology, and stronger national fleets all weaken the immediate case for limitation. A twenty-five-ship ceiling for Britain and America could imply seventeen or more for Japan because Tokyo would reject a total too close to the French and Italian fleets. The Royal Navy might distribute roughly eight ships to the Indian Ocean, eight to the Mediterranean, and nine to home waters while leaving Australia responsible for its own battlecruiser. Keeping the G3 design at its original 16½-inch concept, or completing the 18-inch battleships behind it, could also require larger dry docks. Larger ceilings therefore change both the fleet's global distribution and the infrastructure needed to sustain it.
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An intact fleet breaks the historical 5:5:3 ratio
If France and Italy retain ten to twelve capital ships, Japan is unlikely to accept historical parity ratios that leave it too close to the Mediterranean powers.