PURPOSE: To quickly access picture data by picture data having the highest frequency in use by eliminating a need to designate picture data as the access object at each time of access to picture data.

CONSTITUTION: At the time of automatic access processing, a priority level calculating part 9 prefers a larger value of frequency counters 5a to 5d in frequency value storage parts 7a and 7b and calculates its priority level data D8. An automatic access processing part 10 takes out set priority level data D9 from a set storage part 13 and determines picture data (D1a to D1n) as the access object in accordance with priority level data D8 to automatically access the picture data (D1a to D1n) stored in a storage medium 2.