PURPOSE: To scan an object to be read without moving the object to be read from a position set at first by using an image pickup section and an image display section to monitor the set state of the object to be read from the inside of the image scanner and setting again the direction in the scanning direction while observing the state.

CONSTITUTION: Image information of an object 2 to be read sent from an image pickup section 3 is synthesized with a position display picture formed by direction information in the scanning direction inputted from a touch panel (TP) 5 at a display processing section 11 of a signal processing section 6 and the result is displayed on a display device 4. Then an angle detection section 7 obtains a difference between angles in the actual optical scanning direction and the scanning direction designated by the TP 5 based on the direction information in the scanning direction sent from the TP 5. Thus, the scanning direction is decided, Then a coordinate conversion section 8 converts an image data of the object 2 to be read according to the inputted scanning direction based on the data representing an angle conversion quantity from the angle detection section 7.