TOKYO, March 11 (Reuters) - Rio Tinto

offered Japanese buyers a revised premium offer of $350 per

metric ton for April-June primary metal shipments, up 79% from

the current quarter and 40% from its previous offer, two sources

involved the quarterly talks said on Wednesday.

Japan is a major Asian importer of the metal and the

premiums for primary metal shipments it agrees to pay each

quarter over the London Metal Exchange (LME) cash price

set the benchmark for the region.

Earlier this month, global aluminium producers pulled

initial premium offers, or let them expire, as they gauged the

threat from the escalating Middle East war to cargoes through

the Strait of Hormuz.

Rio Tinto declined to comment.