UPDATE 1-Japan's Resona asks govt to sell 2.4 pct stake

(Adds details and background)

TOKYO, June 18 (Reuters) - Japanese bank Resona Holdings Inc (8308.T: Quote, Profile, Research) said it had asked its top shareholder, Japan's government, to sell almost 50 billion yen ($463 million) worth of its shares to insurer Dai-Ichi Mutual Life Insurance Co.

That would double the insurer's stake in the bank to 4.8 percent, and cut the level of money owed to the government, Resona said in a statement.

Resona, Japan's fourth-largest bank, said it had asked the government to sell 277,777 shares, or 2.4 percent of its outstanding stock, to Dai-Ichi Mutual.

Resona, which is about half owned by the Japanese government following a public bail-out, said last week it was considering repayment methods other than a share sale on the open market.

The sale would repay the government 14.4 billion yen, meaning 2.8 trillion yen would still be owed, the bank said. ($1=107.96 Yen) (Reporting by David Dolan)