April 30 (Reuters) - Canada's Alimentation Couche-Tard ( ANCTF )

said on Wednesday that it has signed a non-disclosure

agreement with Japanese retail giant Seven & i Holdings ( SVNDF )

for its takeover offer.

The detailed terms of the agreement will remain

confidential, Seven & i ( SVNDF ) said in a separate statement.

Paul Yonamine, who chairs Seven & i's ( SVNDF ) independent Special

Committee of the Board of Directors, said that "the execution of

the NDA is a positive step in the constructive engagement

process with ACT," in the separate statement.

Couche-Tard, which operates the Circle-K convenience stores

in Canada and the United States, has been trying to acquire

Seven & i ( SVNDF ) since August.