Bank of Japan board member Kiyohiko Nishimura said Wednesday that he doesn't know whether the board will decide to raise interest rates at its December policy decision meeting. "My answer on a rate hike in December is very clear. I don't know... because major economic data releases are scheduled before the meeting," Nishimura told reporters in Nagano prefecture, central Japan. He also said that the BOJ shouldn't surprise markets on a policy shift, but that it is natural for there to be a little surprise in the market when there is a change in policy.