31.   Incumbent party President Yohei Kono, who is also foreign minister, has said he will seek a second two-year term.

32.   Political analysts say it is natural for the candidate of the incumbent party to have higher negatives than a challenger.

33.   That house will be chosen in December, and the incumbent parties are expected to have a huge majority.

34.   The PEC added that a recount would probably not alter the outcome of the elections which saw incumbent nationalist parties returned to power.

35.   OSCE officials argue that a recount would not fundamentally change the results of the elections which saw incumbent nationalist parties returned to power.