Towards the 1930s Yamamoto began to emerge as prominent figure by representing Japan before the international community in negotiated arms limitations. Subsequent to the close of World War I, it had been established at the Washington Naval Conference that Britain, the U.S., and Japan would agree to tonnage restrictions on capital ships at a ratio of 5-5-3 respectively. As the leadership of her army increasingly controlled Japan, she became equally dissatisfied at being constrained to having 3/5ths the might of the western powers. Emboldened by their successes in Manchuria in 1931, the Japanese army sought to further exert Japan’s military strength throughout Asia and a larger navy was necessary to accomplish this. As a one who did not favor the 5-5-3 limitation and being well informed of America’s naval might, Yamamoto was an ideal delegate to express Japan’s dissatisfaction with the treaty at the London Naval Conference of 1930 and 1934. In the former he was "instrumental in getting agreement to a plan that Japan could have equality in submarines and light cruisers," and in the latter Yamamoto, now a Vice Admiral, represented Japan as she broke away from the 5-5-3 limitations treaty altogether (Potter 22).