Japan may propose Shirakawa as BOJ governor -Nikkei

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TOKYO, April 4 (Reuters) - Japan's government may nominate current central bank Deputy Governor Masaaki Shirakawa to become the governor, the Nikkei business daily said on Friday.

Japan wants a new central bank head in place by next week, the government's top spokesman said on Thursday, in time for that governor to join a meeting of G7 finance leaders discussing the global credit crisis.

One proposal is nominating Shirakawa to the position, the Nikkei said.

The Bank of Japan has been without a permanent governor for two weeks, after opposition parties that control parliament's upper house twice blocked nominees to replace retiring Governor Toshihiko Fukui. (Reporting by Edwina Gibbs)