PURPOSE: To more simplify the moving image coder and decoder and to allow the decoder to accurately reproduce a moving image at a high speed.

CONSTITUTION: Smoothing filters 20-i of n-stages are used to implement low pass processing of an image and an edge detection means 21-i detects an edge of an image from an input image or an output image of the smoothing filters 20-i. A selection means 22 selects either of edges of the image. Motion compensation predict means 24, 26 predict the motion of a moving image to obtain a difference. Coding means 29, 32 and a header information coding means 28 implement coding processing. Decoding means 30, 33 decode the image and adders 31, 34 calculates recent preceding edge and low frequency image and the result is stored in memories 25, 27. A sampling means 23 implements down- sampling. A multiplexer means 35 implements multiplexing and the result is outputted to an external device.