Japan govt picks former bureaucrat for BOJ -lawmaker

(For more on the BOJ succession, click [ID:nT55777])

TOKYO, March 18 (Reuters) - The Japanese government has nominated a former top finance ministry official, Koji Tanami, as the next governor of the central bank after Toshihiko Fukui retires on March 19, a ruling party lawmaker said on Tuesday.

Tanami is currently governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), a government-backed lending agency, and is a former vice minister at the finance ministry.

The government had nominated Deputy Governor Toshiro Muto as the successor to Fukui but his nomination was vetoed by opposition parties, which control the upper house of parliament.

The BOJ governor nominee needs approval from both houses of the parliament to be appointed. (Writing by Rodney Joyce; Editing by Michael Watson)