Water-absorbing capacity (WAC) of soybean seeds is an important factor in the efficient production of soy food products in Japan and other Asiatic countries. Variation in WAC, therefore, should interest persons in the USA concerned with exporting soybeans to these countries. Soybeans vary in WAC depending upon soaking conditions (e.g., temperature and length of soaking time), initial moisture content of the seed, quality of the seed coat, and probably genotype. We are interested in learning the relative importance of genotype.