To provide a dye that is ideal for inkjet recording in that the dye has excellent ozone resistance and produces little bronzing even when the dye concentration in ink is high, and also to provide a method for producing the dye, and an ink composition containing the dye.

There is provided a method for producing a dye represented by formula (1) [wherein, rings A through D are each independently a benzene ring or heteroaromatic ring; E is alkylene; R₁ is an alkyl group; X is an anilino group or the like having sulfo groups; b is greater than 0.0 and less than 3.9; c is 0.1 or greater and less than 4.0; and the sum of b and c is 1.0 or greater and less than 4.0], or a salt thereof.