PURPOSE: To increase the number of classifications of layout of vertical/ horizontal wiring of documents by providing a rotation control means which rotates each character, which is segmented from a stored character string, at 90°.

CONSTITUTION: When it is indicated by an input indicating means 10 that the direction of characters on an inserted medium is horizontal, image data of each character in each character row read by a reading means 2 is stored in a storage means 14. Each character segmented from data in the storage means 14 is rotated at 90° in a prescribed direction by a rotation control means 15 and is recognized by a recognizing means 6. The recognized character code is stored in a storage means 16. The character code stored in the storage means 16 is connected to a character code string corresponding to adjacent characters in the character row successively from the character code string corresponding to the terminal character of the character row and is outputted. Thus, characters are read through the direction of characters is horizontal.