A treatment for softening soybeans was developed. It was a modified solution used before steam heating the beans at l2I’C for 30 min. Dipping in solutions of urea(0.05M) or sodium carbonate(0.2M), or enzymatic treatment with Viscozyme were effective in softening. With the urea solution, the soybeans became alkali by ammonia formation through endogenous urease. The addition of sodium dihydrogen phosphate (0.05M) to the urea solution kept the pH near neutral, but the soybeans became dark. In the treatment with Viscozyme, the pH was 5.3 which were similar to that of dipping in water. This treatment did not change the color, but the seed coat became loose.