The KC-767 is a modified Boeing 767, which is produced under international collaboration.

"The parts we produce are after-fuselage (rear fuselage) panels," the Mitsubishi Heavy spokesman said.

He said it would be "a bit misleading to say that we won the contract" as reported by Japanese media because it was a matter of course that the company supplies the parts when Boeing gets a contract for 767s.

The Nihon Keizai Shimbun reported Tuesday Mitsubishi Heavy and four other Japanese companies had won large orders associated with Boeing's contract for the modified 767s.

The economic daily said the orders Mitsubishi Heavy got would be worth 20-30 billion yen (169-254 million dollars) with the sum for the five companies reaching several tens of billions of yen.

Mitsubishi Heavy declined to comment on the price.

The other firms named in the report were Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd., Fuji Heavy Industries Ltd., ShinMaywa Industries Ltd. and Nippi Corp., a subsidiary of Kawasaki Heavy.

A Nippi spokesman said it would supply components for the main wings but declined to elaborate further.

No immediate confirmation of the report was available from Kawasaki Heavy, Fuji Heavy or ShinMaywa.

The Pentagon on May 23 approved the air force plan to lease the 100 KC-767 tanker aircraft from Boeing for up to 16 billion dollars to begin replacing its ageing planes three years ahead of schedule.

The deal has been criticised by some members of Congress as a corporate handout to the struggling US aeronautics industry.

Under the new arrangement, the air force will lease the aircraft for no more than 138 million dollars each from an as yet unformed special entity, which will purchase the aircraft from Boeing.

The first aircraft would be delivered in 2006 and rise to an average of 20 a year after that.

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