thoughts on new leader JBP

I have a JBP I got from EG in April 2011 that I'm choosing the next trunk section on this spring. It took me a year or two to figure out how to keep these happy so it's now time to move it forward.
I chopped it yesterday down to the current level (it had already been chopped 5 inches higher when I got it.) I'm looking at it now and wondering if I shouldn't take it down to the lower branch on the right that has the branchlet labeled 1.
My thoughts are that it will tighten up the base and give it a little more action down lower. Also the highest new leader at the chop has already grown from a pencil to a thick thumb thickness over the last 2 years. During that time the chop could have been healing over with that growth but since I didn't take it down to the current level till now that didn't happen. If I chop at the lower level then the growth from pencil to larger will help heal the chop wound.
There are two large sacrifices going left at the base that I took a photo of. I think I'll leave those a while longer.
I took an overview shot of the new potential leader. I can use it's first branchlet (1) to go left to make the 1st branch of the finished tree.
Anyone have a preference for the current new leader versus the lower one?
Thanks,
Ian

I recently had a tree much like this and I chose to create the more dramatic chop. While you may make a decent tree with what you have you will create a better tree with the further chop.

It depends...how tall do you want your tree to be? You could go either way with it.

I like my Hachi gen, but it can get very dense and right now, the needles on mine are very long. If I was concerned I couldn't control that, I'd lean slightly in favor of the larger tree. I have had mine long enough that I'm pretty sure I can reduce the needles back down in size when I'm ready.

chop chop chop chop (chanting)

Ok, only a couple opinions but I agree. Chop.