TOKYO, Dec 16 (Reuters) - Some Japanese aluminium buyers

have agreed to pay a global producer a premium of $228 per

metric ton over the benchmark price for shipments from January

to March, up 30% from this quarter, two sources directly

involved in the talks said.

The fourth consecutive quarterly increase, the figure

exceeds the $175 per ton paid in the quarter from October to

December.

Japan is a major Asian importer of the light metal and the

premiums for primary metal shipments it agrees to

pay each quarter over the benchmark London Metal Exchange (LME)

cash price set the yardstick for the region.