Oikawa supported the London Naval Treaty and was a prominent member of the Imperial Japanese Navy's treaty faction. Its members wanted to work within international naval limitations and use the agreements to help avoid war. Concern about the dangers of war with the United States extended across the treaty and fleet factions. Fleet-faction thinking treated war as likely and stressed building up the Navy in preparation. Treaty advocates hoped that continued adherence to the agreements could prevent that confrontation.
Chapter · 5:42-7:15
Treaty politics and the risk of war with America
Concern about war with America crossed Japanese naval factions, whose disagreement concerned whether to prepare for war or seek to avoid it through treaty compliance.