Two members of the Other Russia party have been charged with organizing an unsanctioned rally in connection with Sunday’s Strategy 31 gatherings, and their supporters are now worried that they could face charges of extremism.  Japan’s warning that Russia should ‘act accordingly‘ in line with its position that the Kuril islands are Japanese territory was swiftly rejected by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who said that President Dmitry Medvedev ‘does not take advice from anyone when he chooses which Russian region he will visit‘.  The visit was apparently made in response to a protest made by Tokyo back in September, when Medvedev initially announced his intention to visit Kunashiri Island – but mightn’t Russia benefit from Japanese investment if the dispute were resolved?, wonders the Washington Post.  The dispute is threatening to overshadow next weekend’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, says NPR, which is also running a special report on Saratov’s efforts to develop its economy, and the ‘huge gap between Moscow and the rest of the country‘.