Tokyo - Japanese parliament on Friday approved a government nominee to fill a vacancy at the central bank's deputy governorship.

Hirohide Yamaguchi, 57, who currently serves as the Bank of Japan's executive director, was appointed as the bank's deputy governor after the opposition-controlled upper house supported the government's choice.

Yamaguchi, who is considered an expert on interest rates, currently holds one of the bank's senior posts in charge of monetary affairs. He has also supervised a section that monitors financial systems and conducts bank examinations.

The post of the bank's deputy governor has remained vacant since March due to disagreements in parliament. Japan's upper chamber voted down the government's earlier nominations.

The bank's former governor, Toshihiko Fukui, ended his five-year tenure on March 19. The top post was left vacant for the first time in its history before incumbent governor, Masaaki Shirakawa, took over. (dpa)