To provide a method for controlling an industrial robot easy to perform a curved and restrained operation.

In this method for controlling the industrial robot for performing the restrained operation such as holding an object restrained in an operating direction by a robot having a compliance function, a moving direction when starting the operation, operating speed and an operation termination condition are designated S101 to S103, orthogonal space vector quantity according to the moving direction when starting the operation is made as orthogonal increment amount when starting the operation to start the operation, subsequently a feedback position of the robot is successively converted by kinematics for every prescribed time interval tc to obtain an orthogonal space position and a moving vector of the orthogonal space operated during the time tc is determined S106. A termination condition is monitored, operating the moving vector as new increment amount, and when the termination condition is satisfied, the operation is terminated S108 and S109.