The corrosion protection behavior of an inorganic zinc-rich paint (IZRP) layer on steel after exposure for five years in Okinawa, relatively high-chloride atmosphere, was studied. Zinc particles were uniformly dissolved in the IZRP-coated steel, independent of the distance from the IZRP surface. From XRD, FT-IR, Raman spectroscopy and EPMA analyses, Zn 5 (OH) 8 Cl 2 H 2 O and ZnO were generated in the entire corrosion layer. Mg and Ca were observed in the outer area. We proposed the corrosion process of IZRP-coated steel from a detailed analysis of the corrosion products.