The Democratic Party of Japan said Tuesday evening that it will reject the government's latest nominee to replace Bank of Japan Gov. Toshihiko Fukui, virtually ensuring the post of central bank chief will go unfilled when Fukui's five-year term ends Wednesday.

Earlier Tuesday, the Liberal Democratic Party-New Komeito ruling bloc-led government floated Koji Tanami, governor of the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, a state-backed foreign aid agency, as the next BOJ leader.

The last-minute nomination came after the opposition-controlled Upper House last week rejected Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda's original choice — BOJ Deputy Gov. Toshiro Muto, a former vice finance minister — as the next central bank chief.