The Bank of Japan should raise interest rates as soon as possible if there are no clear signs of an economic slowdown, board member Kazuyuki Masu said in comments that appear to increase the chances of a June rate hike. The remarks by Masu, who voted to keep rates steady in April, suggest he may join hawkish dissenters in calling for a rate hike at the BOJ's next meeting in June as surging oil costs from the Middle East war heighten inflationary pressures. [...]