I think you need incentive to bring the Pac islands into the game, but I think you can do it w/o making them all 1 IPCs. I think NO’s can do it, but the current NO’s fall short.
The Japan perimeter NO is a joke, and I’ve only seen them get it once in a game (US went 90% Europe). There is no island hopping or fighting over islands in the Pac because there is no incentive, but there was a while back with the 5/7 island NO from the past.
I have been experimenting with additional NO’s in the Pac for both the Japanese and US, UK/Anz.
For the DEI I think that the high IPC value is representing the resources (oil), but you should get a bonus if you hold them all, and can show that you are able to ship the resources from them (no enemy ships in the four island convoy sz’s).
My DEI NO for Japan is only 4 IPCs, and there can be no allied warships in any of the DEI sz’s. I also give the UK Pac and Anz 2 IPCs each if the allies hold the DEI, and their power either has a control marker or unit on one of the Islands, plus there are no Japanese warships in any of the DEI sz’s.
The NO I have been experimenting with and I like the most is a mid Pac Islands that both the US and Japan can get. I have 7 islands in play, and you need 5 of then to get 3 IPCs. 4 are Japanese (Caroline, Marshal, Marinas, Paulau), and 3 US (Midway, Wake, and Guam). So the Japanese can easily get this NO if they take one of the US islands (also get an airbase), and the US is forced to retake them just to keep the Japanese from getting the extra bonus, or can also take several of them to increase their own income.
I’m also looking at a 3 IPC NO if the Japanese get just 3/6 SE Pac islands (New Brit, Solomon, New Hebrides, Gilbert, Fiji, Samoa).
As for the Russian far east territories being worth more, I think you will just be giving the Japanese more incentive to take them. I don’t see the Russian putting up much more of a fight to keep them, and if they do Moscow will fall easier. If you do make Bury and/or Novo a 2 IPC territory you would need to off set that by making a couple territories out there 0 IPCs IMO. But honestly I see this as a win fall for Japan. If they get both Stalingrad (comes with IC) and Novo (may come w/IC, or can build an IC) the Russians are in bigger trouble then they are now.
I think you would be better off with a Russian rail running from Moscow to Bury to allow the Russians some limited rail movement between them (both ways), but only works for the Russians. Either that or change the rules for a minor IC when it isn’t the original owner (captured, liberated, or newly built) to where it only produces 1 unit. This would fix a lot of things IMO!