Japan Tobacco Mulls $1.2 Bln Straight Bond -Source

Source from:  TOKYO, June 28 (Reuters) 06/29/2007

Japan Tobacco Inc. (2914.T: Quote, NEWS , Research) is considering issuing 150 billion yen ($1.2 billion) worth of straight bonds, a company source told Reuters on Thursday. Japan Tobacco will probably issue bonds with maturity of between three and five years, said the person, who declined to be named before the details were finalised. The bond issue would be the first in eight years for Japan Tobacco, the world's third-biggest tobacco company, which recently completed a 7.5 billion pound ($15 billion) acquisition of Britain's Gallaher Group. Nomura Securities and Daiwa Securities SMBC are set to be lead managers of the sale, the source said. Enditem