The Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), which has governed Japan almost uninterruptedly for 45 years, has suffered losses in the past. I suspect this election will come and go with a similar impact.

Japan is a great long-term investment, and as each problem is addressed, I think investors will find Japan incrementally more attractive.

I think he was given the job on an interim basis, and he was somehow 'next in line' for the job.

The sense that Tony Blair is distancing himself from his party is even more acute than in the past, and I am sure they would like a timetable for giving way to someone else, probably (Chancellor) Gordon Brown.

I am here to party.

I'm going to have a big party tonight! ... very difficult.