The London Treaty replaced the Washington Treaty's carrier definition because the earlier framework left an opening below 10,000 tons. The earlier rules did not count carriers beneath that threshold. Ryūjō resulted from an attempt to exploit the opening, and its unusual form appears onscreen. Treaty language therefore belongs to the ship's design history as well as its diplomatic background.
Notable Point · 34:39-35:25
Ryūjō exploits the small-carrier treaty loophole
A gap in the original treaty treatment of carriers below 10,000 tons helps explain Ryūjō's unusual compact design.