The final panel on Japan’s strategic choices was chaired by Associate Professor Amy King. Ryo Sahashi argued that Japan needs to adjust its diplomacy and economy to deal with a more assertive China. The United States’ domestic issues mean that the United States is restricted in what it can do on the global stage, so Japan and Australia must work to create inclusive multilateral mechanisms such as the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership. Professor Evelyn Goh stated that Japan has propped up US hegemony in East Asia and that if Japan were to align itself more with China, it would tip the regional order. She also noted that any Taiwan Contingency assumes that Japan will support US defensive operations, but this may not always be the case. She highlighted that not enough attention is given to how domestic politics affects Japan’s decision-making. Professor Yoshihide Soeya discussed that Shinzo Abe’s legacy is that of divided politics in Japan, with conservative politics currently being dominant. He suggested that current Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is more likely to focus on multilateral diplomatic efforts as part of Japan’s comprehensive security strategy. Yoko Iwama talked about the Japanese reaction to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. She said that the invasion had generated a change of atmosphere in Japan, with the population fearing something similar could happen to Japan. She noted Japan’s efforts to augment its deterrence capability, citing its increase in defence spending to 2 per cent of GDP. This is the first-time defence spending has reached this level in the post-war era.