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Parental cultivars (Oryza sativa L. Japanese lowland cultivars Sasanishiki and Norin 1), F2 plants, and F3 Iines were grown under visible light with or without supplemental UV-B radiation in a phytotron, to determine whether the accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds plays a role in the difference in UV-B resistance between these rice cultivars. The level of UV-absorbance per unit leaf area increased with the UV-B treatuent in all the leaves of these two rice cultivars, but was higher in Sasanishiki than in Norin 1 irrespective of UV-B treatment. An analysis by thin-layer chromatography and the UV-absorption spectra of the extracts did not show any qualitative difference in UV-absorbing compounds in leaf tissues between these two cultivars. There was a significant positive correlation between the level of UV-absorbance per unit leaf area and the fresh weight of aerial parts in the F2 plants exposed to UV-B radiation. Furthermore, the level of UV-absorbance per unit leaf area tended to be higher in the F3 Iines resistant to UV-B radiation than in those sensitive to such radiation regardless of whether these F3 lines were exposed to supplemental UV-B radiation. These results suggest that the differences in UV-B resistance between Sasanishiki and Norin 1 are associated with genetic differences in the level of accumulation of UV-B absorbing compounds in leaf tissues. Based on these results we suggest that the accumulation of UV-B absorbing compounds is an important factor contributing to UV-B resistance in rice cultivars. Since the accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds in leaves appears to minimize the latent negative impact of UV-B radiation on rice production, it may be a useful character to select in ordinary breeding.