Main events scheduled in Japan for Thursday, May 2:

-- Defense Minister Minoru Kihara to visit Hawaii through May 4

and hold meeting with his counterparts from the United States, Australia and the Philippines.

-- Bank of Japan to release minutes of March 18-19 Policy Board meeting.

-- Survey of consumer trends for April to be released by Cabinet Office.

==Kyodo

© Kyodo News International, Inc., source Newswire