Political Stupidity 101.

[Scrat]

Medvedev orders deployment of weapons on Kuril Islands — RT

This is the best example you'll ever see. Why? WWII was over decades ago, Russia took these islands from Japan then. Yes they were at war blah blah blah but as I said, that was decades ago.

These rocks are all within 300 miles of Hokkaido Island Japan. They belong to Japan, simple as that. Be smart about it, Russia has let these islands rot, just look at Google Earth.

Russia needs to just let the Japanese have them not make a big fight about it. Just add some more coast guard ships in the Sea of Okhotsk to keep the Japanese trawlers at bay as they will be stupid enough to try and get the fish there. It'll just be more target practice for the Russian coast guard. It's not Russias fault that Japan has all but destroyed its own fishery. I would also put some more military assets on land as you never know what America and Japan will try to do in the future. Both see civility as weakness.