Japan buys 99,052 tonnes food wheat via tender

    TOKYO, Jan 23 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture 
bought a total of 99,052 tonnes of food quality wheat from the 
United States in a regular tender that closed late on Thursday. 
    Japan, the world's sixth-biggest wheat importer, keeps a 
tight grip on imports of the country's second most important 
staple after rice and buys the majority of the grain for milling 
via tenders typically issued three times a month.     
     
    Details are as follows (in tonnes): 
    COUNTRY           TYPE                         QUANTITY 
    U.S.              Western White                29,492* 
                      Hard Red Winter              20,100* 
                      Dark Northern Spring          24,960** 
                      (protein minimum 14.0 pct) 
                      Dark Northern Spring          24,500** 
                      (protein minimum 14.0 pct) 
    Shipments: *Loading between Feb 21 and Mar 20 
               ** Arrival by Apr 30  
    Source: Ministry of Agriculture  
 
 (Reporting by Yuka Obayashi; Editing by Sunil Nair) 
 ((Yuka.Obayashi@thomsonreuters.com)(+813-6441-1798)(Reuters 
Messaging: yuka.obayashi.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: JAPAN WHEAT/TENDER