The term “Encounter Group”had three connotations in the U.S.A. in 1970's: ①human potential movement, ②small intensive group, and ③basic encounter group. In Japan, however, the term has been used as ①“basic encounter group” , or ②“structured　encounter group”since 1970's. In this presentation, the presenter attempts to report　the practice and the research of encounter groups in Japan. 　Basic encounter group was first introduced in 1969 by Hatase, M. who studied for two years at Rogers, C. R. The first practice of the group was initiated in Kyoto in 1970. Since then, Japan Institute of Person-centered Approach led by Hatase, M. and Fukuoka Institute of Person-centered Approach led by Murayama, S. have been playing central roles in the development of the practice and research of encounter groups in Japan. Those groups have been aimed at variety of population from the general public, junior-high school students, high school students, preparatory school students, university students, nursing school students, kindergarten teachers, school teachers, school nurses, families, parents of children with school refusal, hospital nurses,telephone counselors, business men, to counselors. Nojima, K. et at (1991) have been practicing basic encounter grouptic group psychotherapy for patients with schizophrenia. As far as research presentations are concerned, since the first presentation made by Hatase, M. and Nojima, K. at Japanese Psychological Association in 1971, a number of presentations have been consistently made. Major areas of the research are: ①process study, ②outcome study, ③facilitator study, and ④application. The literature concerning encounter groups has been reviewed by Muryama, S. et at. (1979), Kotani, H.et al. (1982), Nojima, K. (1983), Shigeta, M. et al. (1983), Murayama, S. et al.(1987), Shin, E. (1989), Sakanaka, M. (1994), Hayashi, M. (1997), Nojima, K. (1997) and others. In terms of structured encounter groups, they have been practiced by various people in various formats and in various places since the middle of 1970's. Structured encounter groups have been especially practiced in the field of education. They have been implemented to schools in order to prevent bullying and school refusal and facilitate cooperative class atmosphere and friendship among students. Nabeta, Y. (1991) therapeutically used structured encounter group for clients with social phobia or school refusal. After the presentation in 1978 made by Kokubu, Y. & Suganuma, K. at Japanese Association of Counseling Science, a number of studies concerning structured encounter groups have　 been conducted until present. Major areas of the research are:① process study, ②outcome study, ③exercise programs study, and ④application. The literature review has been done by ｎｏｊｉｍａ, K.(1992). In the U.S., the practice of encounter groups have been active from 1960's to 1970's, but it has been declining after that and research presentations are scarcely found these days. On the other hand, the practice and research in Japan have been active in past three decades, and we can anticipate that this trend will continue to grow in the future.