Alginate obtained from brown algae had various physicochemical and rheological properties and could used as a dietary fiber, However, alginate has not been widely applied to the food industry, since it had high viscosity, high gelling effect conjugated with some mineral, and low solubility. To improve functionality of alginate, partially develymerized alginates, which was water-soluble dietary fiber were obtained by hydrolysis of alginate from the sea tangle, Laminaria japonicus, heated at $121^{circ}C$. Effects of depolymerization of alginate on the changes of viscosity and average molecular weight, block composition ratio of mannuronate to guluronate (M/G ratio), chemical properties using $PT-IR, ^1H-NMR, and ^(13)C-NMR$ spectrum were investigated. The average molecular weight and viscosity of the alginate were rapidly decreased with the thermal decomposition, and estimated to be 1,307,415 dalton and 284,000 cps, before heating, 728,106 and 3,940.29 cps after 30 min heating, 102,635 and 22.22 cps after 2.5 hrs heating, 51,205 and 12.05 cps after 3 hrs, and 10,049 and 4.28 cps after 6.5 hrs, respectively. The M/G ratio was increased with the heating time, while MM-block did not show any changes and GG-block diminished. The results of $FT-IR, ^1H-NMR and ^(13)C-NMR$ spectrum suggested that changes of molecular structure did not occur by the thermal decomposition.