Rice is a staple food and accounts for 16.2% of daily food intake in Japan.Rice is the third protein source,which follows meats and fishes/shellfishes,although the protein content in rice is only about 6-8%.The contribution of rice protein to daily protein intake is twice larger than legumes including soybean protein,which are well recognized as a functional food material.We have focused on the importance of rice protein as new food materials and have conducted various studies to find its novel physiological functions.We have already reported that rice protein lowers plasma total cholesterol and triglyceride level of rats and that rice protein has renoprotective effects in the type Ⅱ diabetic rats.