A photoacoustic image generation apparatus includes: a puncture needle (15) that generates photoacoustic waves； an ultrasound probe (11) that detects the photoacoustic waves and reflected ultrasonic waves reflected by the transmission of ultrasonic waves； a color Doppler signal generation unit (23) that generates a color Doppler signal of a region of interest as a color Doppler measurement target； a photoacoustic image generation unit (24) that generates a photoacoustic image on the basis of the photoacoustic waves； a tip position detection unit (29) that detects the position of a tip portion of the puncture needle (15) on the basis of the photoacoustic image； and a control unit (28) that sets the region of interest such that the position of the tip portion of the puncture needle (15) and a center position of the region of interest are separated from each other by a predetermined distance and sets the region of interest, following the movement of the tip portion of the puncture needle (15), in a state in which the distance is maintained.
