Japan govt nominates Muto as BOJ head - lawmaker

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TOKYO, March 7 (Reuters) - The Japanese government put forward Toshiro Muto, a current Bank of Japan deputy governor, as governor of the central bank after Toshihiko Fukui retires on March 19, a lawmaker said on Friday, confirming a media report.

The government has also put forward Masaaki Shirakawa, a former BOJ executive director, and academic Takatoshi Ito as deputy governors, the lawmaker reported.

Shirakawa was a career central banker who had worked closely with Fukui and Muto until he left the central bank in 2006.