TOKYO, May 10 (Reuters) - Bank of Japan board members said the central bank should maintain its current accommodative policy due to downside risks from overseas, a summary of opinions from their April 26-27 meeting showed on Wednesday.

Members also said that exports and production were showing positive signs so it was appropriate to raise the economic assessment.

At the April meeting, the BOJ offered its most optimistic assessment of the economy in nine years but lowered its consumer price forecast for the current fiscal year and signalled that its quantitative easing will remain in place for some time. (Reporting by Stanley White; Editing by Chang-Ran Kim)