To produce a polymer surface possessing tethered water-soluble chains, a high-density polyethylene film was subjected to surface graft polymerization of nonionic and ionic water-soluble monomers by the combination of plasma pretreatment and photoirradiation. Adhesive interaction was observed between the grafted surfaces when brought into direct contact in the presence of water. The interaction depended on the graft density and the ionic nature of the grafted chains. The surface having larger graft density generally exhibited stronger adhesion when the water present at the interface was dried up. Substantial interaction occurred almost instantaneously upon contact when one surface was grafted with an anionic polymer and the other grafted with a cationic polymer. The interaction between similarly charged surfaces was weak in the presence of water, probably because of the electrostatic repulsion operating between the charged groups.