For the purpose of the preparation of rice starch, various concentrations of lithium hydroxide, sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide were tried out. High concentrations of alkali, eq. 0.3 % sodium hydroxide solution, removed and lowered crude protein from rice flour to a level of 0 .06 %. The rice starch prepared using high concentration of alkali showed lower absorption spectra for the starch iodine complex, lower temperatures for initiation of gelatinization and higher peak viscosities in amylograms . When rice starches were prepared using hydroxide of various cations, the type of alkalimetal ion did not affect the content of residual minor components in the rice starch . The cationstended to decrease the absorbance of starch iodine complex and the peak viscosity in amylogram of the rice starches in the order Li⁴ < Na⁺ < K⁺. It is possible to obtain a preparation of rice starch with about 0.15% residual crude protein and highest absorbance of starch iodine complex by soaking and stirring in 1/40 M lithium hydroxide solution with several changes for 3 hr at 5°C, followed by washing with water.