Laboratory scale experiments were conducted to investigate the removal characteristics of nitrogen and phosphorus by the variation of aeration time in four sequencing batch reactors (SBRs). In R1 which has the shortest aeration time as 1 h, MLVSS concentration in reactor decreased by the wash-out of biomass because of the poor sedimentation. The TOC removal efficiencies were almost similar in 3 reactors except R1. At the low aeration time as 1 h, the nitrification was severely inhibited by the deficiency of oxygen. ${NH_4}^+$-N removal efficiency was decreased by the decrease of aeration time. At the aeration time over 2 h, the phosphorus removal efficiency was not affected by the variation of aeration time. The nitrification was inhibited but the phosphorus release and uptake was not inhibited by the decrease of low aeration time. Therefore, we can see that the phosphorus removal microorganisms are superior to nitrification microorganisms in oxygen utilization.