, Feb. 18 -- Japan has welcomed the 13th Parliamentary Election of the People's Republic of Bangladesh, held on February 12, as credible and largely peaceful.

In a statement, Japanese Press Secretary Kitamura Toshihiro said that an election observer mission from Japan, headed by former Japanese Ambassador to Bangladesh Watanabe Masato, conducted on-site monitoring of the election.

The mission consisted of officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh, as well as an external expert.

"From Japan, an election observer mission headed by Mr. Watanabe Masato, former Ambassador of Japan to Bangladesh, consisting of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh...