PURPOSE: To produce simply and easily a titanium dioxide pigment excellent in weathering resistance and dispersibility and useful for a high-grade industrial coating material represented by an automotive coating material in virtue of its excellent pigment properties.

CONSTITUTION: The production process relates to a process for surface-treating titanium dioxide comprising neutralizing a zirconium compound in the presence of at least one organic compound selected from the group consisting of a hydroxyfatty acid compound and a compound containing at least two hydroxyl groups on vicinal carbon atoms in the molecule in a dispersion of titanium dioxide to coat the surface of the titanium dioxide particle with an oxide of zirconium.