According to a statement from Press Secretary Kobayashi Maki, Japan is pleased with how smoothly the election was held overall.

"As far as our mission could observe, the election process was carried out according to protocol," he declared. However, we regret that there were violent occurrences during the lead-up to the general election that resulted in casualties."

The statement came today as Japan sent an election observer mission headed by its former ambassador to Bangladesh, Watanabe Masato, consisting of officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Embassy of Japan in Bangladesh as well as an outside expert.

However, Japan hopes that Bangladesh, as a strategic partner, will make progress in its efforts for further development as a democratic nation.