An image processing apparatus (1) according to an embodiment processes a series of observation images on which an esophagus, a stomach, a small intestine, and a large intestine are sequentially captured as a plurality of observation targets. The image processing apparatus includes an organ identifying unit (4a) that identifies that, at least on the basis of compressed information based on compressed image data of an image to be processed among the series of observation images, the organ captured on an image to be processed corresponds to which organ of the esophagus or the stomach, the small intestine, and the large intestine. The organ identifying unit (4a) sequentially selects an image to be processed among the series of observation images, and sequentially identifies an organ captured on the image to be processed.
