A U.S. firm will sell caviar to Benihana of Tokyo.

Rocky Aoki, president of Benihana of Tokyo Inc., has signed a $1-million agreement with Chattanooga, Tenn.-based Continental Caviar Co. to distribute five tons of American caviar in Japan. The caviar, selected after several months of taste tests, comes from sturgeon and paddle fish eggs collected from Mississippi, Louisiana and Georgia, said Laban DeFriese, president of Continental Caviar. Aoki said the caviar looks and tastes the same as the $24-an-ounce Russian asetra caviar, but costs 40% less. He said the purchase of American caviar will cut into his company’s purchases from the Soviet Union.