Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott survived a leadership challenge on Monday, but his last-minute pledge to allow an open tender on the construction of new submarines poses a challenge to Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who must weigh the political risks of becoming more public about his ambition to tap the global defense market, experts say.

Political analysts agree if the contract is awarded elsewhere, there will be little damage overall to Australia-Japan relations, with plenty of opportunities for the two allies to engage in military ties. But Abbott's latest promise could scare Tokyo away from the now high-profile subs sale just as Abe gears up to persuade a weary public of the need for changes to the nation's security laws and Constitution.

The Australian government's earlier decision to forgo construction of the subs in the state of South Australia had been considered a broken election promise, prompting outrage and protests in the state. The backlash was worsened by then-Defense Minister David Johnston saying he would not trust the government-owned Australian Submarine Corp. "to build a canoe."