JAPAN MINISTRY HAS NO COMMENT ON RICE TALKS REPORT
  The Agriculture Ministry declined comment
  on a local newspaper report that Japan had agreed to hold talks
  on its closed rice market in the new GATT round.
      "We have no idea about the report and cannot comment," a
  spokesman told Reuters.
      Nihon Keizai Shinbun, quoting unnamed government sources,
  said Japan would tell U.S. Agriculture Secretary Richard Lyng
  and U.S. Trade Representative Clayton Yeutter of its
  intentions. The two are due to visit Japan later this month for
  farm talks.
      The U.S. Has been pressing Japan to discuss the rice issue
  at the new round of General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade
  talks. But Japan has said GATT is not the right forum.
      Imports of rice to Japan are banned under the Foodstuff
  Control Act.
      Nihon Keizai said Japan's plan resulted from worries about
  mounting trade tension with the U.S. At the GATT talks, Japan
  will try to persuade the U.S. That its rice policy is
  justified, it said.
      The 93-nation world trade body began the Uruguay trade
  round last September. It will take four years to negotiate.
  

