The following is the latest list of selected news summaries by Kyodo News.----------20 retailers apply for Japan's stockpiled rice under revised schemeTOKYO - A total of 20 companies on Tuesday applied to purchase a combined 110,000 tons of the government's stockpiled rice, a day after the farm minister said it will provide rice to the market through direct contracts to curb soaring prices more effectively.The total amount is equivalent to over 30 percent of the 300,000 tons planned for release through direct sales contracts with major retailers, not through auctions as in the releases earl…READ FULL ARTICLE
