2- [(4- Cyanophenyl)amino] -3-chloro-1, 4- naphthalenedione (NQ-Y15) was asssayed for its genotoxic potential by using Salmonella typhimurium reversion assay and in vitro chromosome aberration test on Chinese hamster lung cells. In the Ames test, NQ-Y15 induced his + revertants of Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and TA1537, reaching levels twice the negative control values. But, NQ-Y15 induced only his+ revertants of Salmonella typhimurium TA1537 more than twice the control values under the condition with metabolic activation system. In the cytogenetic test on chinese hamster lung cells. NQ -Y15 showed significant chromosomal aberrations, but the incidence was significantly reduced in the presence of metabolic activation.