To provide a method for producing benzene by converting ethylbenzene in a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon mixture raw material composed of non-aromatic hydrocarbons, ethylbenzene and mixed xylene to benzene and recovering high-purity benzene simply by distillation separation.

The method for producing benzene comprises the contact of a C8 aromatic hydrocarbon mixture raw material containing at least 4 wt.% ethylbenzene and mixed xylene with an MFI-type catalyst containing rhenium in the presence of hydrogen, the conversion of the ethylbenzene in the raw material to benzene at a conversion rate of 60%, and the recovery of high-purity benzene simply by distillation separation.