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To find out which brain regions are responsible for the mental construction and recognition of a kanji character initiated by visually presented kanji radicals, rather than by information retained in the memory, a lefthenradical and the corresponding righttsukuriradical were simultaneously presented randomly to either the left or right visual field of seven subjects. Thirty lefthenradicals and the corresponding righttsukuriradicals were prepared as stimuli; this combination formed over 500 real or pseudo kanji characters. Instead of their usual left and right positions, the lefthenradical was always presented above the righttsukuriradical. As quickly and correctly as possible, the subjects released a key when two kanji radicals constituted a single real kanji character and released another key otherwise. We recorded neuromagnetic responses as well as accuracy and reaction time. Left visual field superiority was observed as regards accuracy. This is in good agreement with previous neuropsychological results. Equivalent current dipoles were localized mainly in the left and/or right occipitotemporal regions (ventral visual pathways), the bilateral occipitoparietal regions (dorsal visual pathways) including the supramarginal region, and the areas surrounding the left superior temporal cortex. We suggest that these regions are related to reading and the mental construction of a kanji character from its radicals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]