You do know that russian already posses a warm water port in port arthur by the time of the russo-japanese war?
So the port argument for that war is moot.
The main bloody reason was russia was not willing to give japanese the control of korea.
Even though, the russian port in PORT ARTHUR which was already in russia's hand and MANCHURIA was in control of the russians. In fact, japan had negotiated till 1904 that russia recognizes KOREA as japanese sphere of influence but it would be willing to recognize MANCHURIA and PORT ARTHUR.
I never said russo japanese war was not one of the causes of russian revolution?
Ehem, where did i ever say that. Please quote it for me to see please.
Obviously, im referencing the 1917 one, considering 1905 failed. Despite how 1905 play a contributing factor to the later revolution developments in 1917.
Port Arthur did not
belong to Russia, it was leased to them by China. Other Russian Pacific port of note, Vladivostok, froze at winter, so it was not good enough.\
Or rather, during Sino-Japanese War, Japan took Liaodong (the place where Port Arthur eventually would be built) and Taiwan; then a coalition of Germany, Russia and France forced Japan to withdraw from said peninsula[1], and Russians occupied said port. It was then post-facto leased from China by Russia.
Japan perceived it as an anti-Japan move from Russia. However, they thought it not worth risking war with Russia.
Then Russia started encroaching on Korea, getting foresting rights and the like. As Japan had been making moves to annex/sphere Korea for decade(s) before that, they took it as an act of aggression. Even then, they decided to start with diplomacy - they proposed to acknowledge Russian Manchuria in exchange to Russia ceding Korea to them.
Russia went "muh WARMWATER PORTS also you are filthy non-westernized country fuck you". Japan took offense and took said warmwater port, along with Manchuria, from Russia, in process sparking off the 1905 Revolution.
Plus the sidenote of Wilhelm pestering Nikolai into war for "purity of White Race". Fuck Wilhelm.(edit: And fuck Nikolai for being indecisive and not sticking to his willingness to accept peace.)
Soo...no, Japan was sorta willing to compromise and let Russia build Transsiberian Railway (with implicit stationing of military on Russo-Japanese border this would logistically allow for - a big concession from a military-minded and paranoid Japan, given that Russia openly deployed 100 000 men there which is always concerning), but, uh. Russia refused. And paid the price of underestimating the enemy + being too greedy.
Also, I cannot help but single it out:
Obviously, im referencing the 1917 one, considering 1905 failed. Despite how 1905 play a contributing factor to the later revolution developments in 1917.
It didn't, not really: it forced Russia to transition from absolutism to something resembling parlamentary/constitutional monarchy.
Then Nikolai had to be a major idiot and blunder it all up, resulting in provoking 1917 one, but that's another matter.
[1] Which is why we need to stay at 10+ Trust/Espionage folks; coalitions are no fun.