The properties of two cultivars of japonica rice, Odae (early ripening variety) and Ilpum (late ripening variety), were compared. They grew on MS (Murashige and Skoog) medium but the growth of both cultivars was strongly retarded by 50 mM or more salt. There was no clear difference between the growths of seedlings of the two cultivars for the first 24 h after germination. The amylopectin chain-length profiles of the two cultivars did not differ significantly, and amylopectin content was estimated at $16.0{pm}0.4%$ in cv. Odae and $16.4{pm}0.4%$ in cv. Ilpum. A total of 114 RAPD (randomly amplified polymorphic DNA) fragments ranging from 0.4 to 2.5 kb were isolated from the two cultivars, 61 from cv. Odae and 53 from cv. Ilpum, indicating that there is little genetic variation between them.