How many British ships would Japan's entry release from the Far East?

How many British ships would Japan's entry release from the Far East?

Relatively few British ships would be released at this date, while the reduction in Australian and New Zealand concerns would be more significant.

Britain had some cruisers in the Far East in 1940, including Exeter, but no large force watching Japan. Removing the Japanese threat therefore releases less British naval strength than the same change would in 1941. The larger immediate effect falls on Australia and New Zealand, whose concerns about Japan had constrained their commitments elsewhere.