Japan parliament approves Takaichi's dovish nominees to fill BOJ board

TOKYO, March 23 (Reuters) - Japan's upper house of parliament approved on Monday Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's choice of two like-minded monetary doves to join the central bank board, a move that could influence its decision on the timing and pace of further interest rate hikes.

The approval follows that by the lower house on March 19, paving the way for academics Toichiro Asada and Ayano Sato to join the nine-member board. Both of them are seen by markets as strong advocates of loose monetary and fiscal policy.

Asada would replace economist Asahi Noguchi, whose term ends on March 31. Sato would replace Junko Nakagawa, whose term expires at the end of June.

Asada's debut policy meeting would be held on April 27-28, when the board could debate tweaks to its policy guidance and possibly raise still-low interest rates.

The choice may affect the BOJ's discussions on the pace and timing of future rate hikes by altering the composition of the nine-member board, which has increasingly shifted in favour of steady rate increases.

(Reporting by Leika Kihara Editing by Alexandra Hudson)