To properly know the life of an apparatus, which is turned on/off, even if the type of the apparatus is different in various ways, and also simply create instructions for use in life management thereof.

A programmable controller executes a sequence program 2 described with a ladder diagram language. A life setting means 14 is arranged for registering the number of on/off actions, which is a set life of the apparatus 8 intended for life management thereof, according to the type of the apparatus. In an arithmetic processing means 3, a life management instruction execution part 13 is arranged for executing a life management instruction 9 that is arranged as one of function instructions in the sequence program 2. The life management instruction 9 has information indicating the type of the apparatus 8 and a special flag, which is described so as to be read every time the instruction for turning on the life management object apparatus 8 in the sequence program 2 is read out. The life management instruction execution means 13 counts the number of read-outs every time the life management instruction 9 is read out, which is stored in a predetermined storage area 15. Also, the set life number according to the type is compared with a count value, and a specified flag in the life management instruction 9 is turned on when the value is more than the setting life frequency. A warning is issued with the flag-on.