Russo-Japanese War, Sakhalin Island and the Great War

So, I've been planning out an alternate history timeline since the summer. I've found lots of interesting events and possible diversions, and one of the most interesting is what the title says.

In 1905 the Russo-Japanese War ended and the treaty of Portsmouth gave the southern half to Japan and northern to Russia. Now, Japan felt that they hadn't achieved as much as they should have (being the winners), and discontent spread throughout Japan during the years after. I believe there were even some demonstrations (riots) caused indirectly by the Portsmouth treaty.

Japan had originally intended to retain all of Sakhalin Island, but because of pressure from the US, they couldn't achieve it.


My question is, would it have been possible for Japan later, in my timeline it would be 1913 or 1914 (hence the forum this is posted in) to demand the northern part too, and if their ultimatum would have been refused, a war would have broken out?

If Japan and Russia would have gone to war (most of the combat likely happening in Korea), Germany could have sensed it as a moment to spread their influence over the Baltic and/or capture colonies in the Far East and joined the war.

Then, either as an ally of Germany against Russia or the OTL way with Princip and the shot heir, Austria-Hungary would have joined the war.

The war would then escalate as it did in history: Entente condemning the war and declaring war, leading to a worldwide conflict.

In other words, could the small island of Sakhalin have caused a world war?
 
So, they wouldn't have declared war over that island. But what if the discontent in Japan would have been unbearable, and they simply would have had to do something to make the homelands calm down?
 
So, they wouldn't have declared war over that island. But what if the discontent in Japan would have been unbearable, and they simply would have had to do something to make the homelands calm down?

Shoot some working-class people. Japan was quite willing to dismiss popular protest in this period.
 
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