To inhibit reproduction on the basis of regional characteristic of provided contents or the age limit, not by inhibition on the whole contents but designating a part to be reproduced to every contents which become objects to be inhibited.

When contents are coded to a plurality of objects by using an MPEG compressor 12, recorded in recording medium 20 and reproduced, reproduction inhibiting information of every contents which is produced on the basis of region or rating is produced by a reproduction protection information producing device 13, inserted in an object signal by using a control header inserting device 14 or an electronic watermark inserting device 16 and recorded. When the object signal is reproduced, a reproduction protection control signal is obtained, synthesizing of the object signal not to be permitted is inhibited on the basis of the reproduction protection control signal by using a reproduction protection controller 34 and an image signal is produced.