To provide an image reader which automatically discriminates a key item position at the time of reading data in which an item frame is not set, divides the other items based on the key item position and recognizes characters by individual items.

When an image reader 7 reads the image of recorded data from paper where plural pieces of record data consisting of plural pieces of item data are recorded, namely, from an address book in this form, in a read data division processing, CPU 2 divides image data into physical lines, and an item block specification part 9 refers to respective item features stored in a feature memory by individual items 11, specifies the key item (name block) positions for the respective data lines of the physical lines, and specifies the other item block of one person based on the key item position. A character recognition part 5 recognizes a character string at every item block of one specified person and outputs it, to an address book memory 12.