Japan resented the treaty because it allowed them fewer ships than the U.S. and Britain.
The Five-Power Naval Limitation Treaty, which was signed by the United States, Great Britain, Japan, France, and Italy on Feb. 6, 1922, was created to get rid off almost 1,900,000 tons of warships belonging to the Great Powers.
The amount Japan were allowed to keep was less than the United States and Great Britain making their naval power less.
At that time Japan demanded equality with the United States and Great Britain in regard to the size and number of its capital ships. When this demand was rejected by the other contracting nations, Japan gave advance notice of its intention to terminate the treaty, which thus expired at the end of 1936.