TOKYO, Jan 11 (Reuters) - Japan's Ministry of Agriculture

bought a total of 121,188 tonnes of food wheat from Australia in

a weekly tender that closed on Friday.

In Japan, the world's sixth-biggest wheat importer, the

ministry keeps a tight grip on imports of the second most

important grain after rice to protect consumers from price

volatility and to maintain local production, which accounts for

about 10 percent of domestic wheat demand.

It buys about 5 million tonnes of foreign wheat for milling

use annually.

Details are as follows (in tonnes):

COUNTRY TYPE QUANTITY

Australia Standard White 121,188

Shipments: Loading between Jan.16 and Feb. 28.

Source: Ministry of Agriculture

(Reporting by Yuko Inoue; Editing by Sunil Nair)

Keywords: JAPAN WHEAT/TENDER

(yuko.inoue@thomsonreuters.com)(81-3-6441-1815)(Reuters Messaging: yuko.inoue.reuters.com@reuters.net)

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