What was Nicholas II's main reason for going to war with Japan?

Answer 1

His cousin, the Kaiser of Germany, helped convince Nicholas that he should go to war with Japan, and that Russia could easily defeat them. The Kaiser had other motives for goading his cousin "Nicky" into war with Japan; if Japan defeated Russia, this would eliminate Russia as a competitor in the Naval Arms Race going on in Europe in 1903. The Kaiser's main adversary was Britain, and Germany was intent on building a battleship fleet that could challenge the Royal Navy...which he would eventually accomplish during WW1. What Germany didn't need was competition from Russia...and war with Japan would solve that problem. Secondly, Russia was expanding east, just as the United States had expanded westward in the 1800's. Russia had constructed a railroad crossing the Eurasian continent; again, just as the US had done with the North American continental railroad in the 1860's. Third, Russia was urgently in need of a "ice-free" seaport, and the pacific coast line offered Port Arthur, near present day Korea; which was the scene of bitter battles during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905. Nova Net Final Test Answer: To keep his people from rebelling against his government.
Japan was starting to colonize around itself (it takes Korea, parts of China, ect) and It tried to take an island that belonged to Russia. So, Nicholas went to war with Japan, and lost terribly and half of the island was taken over by Japan.

Answer 2

Nicholas wanted to protect Russian holdings in Korea and Northern China, which Japan wanted to seize.