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.