e present study aimed to investigate the developmental changes in risk factors for kanji word-reading di culty in second-to sixth-grade children (N=843). A multiple logistic analysis was conducted, and signi cant odds ratios were revealed for di culty in reading kanji words with high imageability, which was accompanied by low performance on a kana word searching test in the second, third, and fourth grades. In addition, signi cant odds ratios were found for di culty in reading kanji words with low imageability under combined occurrences of low performance on forward and backward digit recall tests in the h and sixth grades. It may be concluded, based on these results, that a lack of uency in kana word reading could be mainly a risk factor in lower grades, while the malfunction of verbal working memory could be a risk factor in higher grades, indicating that risk factors might change with increases in grade.