IMAGE PROCESSING APPARATUS, IMAGE PROCESSING METHOD, AND COMPUTER PROGRAM PRODUCT

An image processing apparatus includes a character-area extracting unit that extracts a character area in which characters are displayed from image data including characters, a character-color converting unit that converts the color of characters in the character area extracted by the character-area extracting unit to a predetermined prescribed character color, and a background-color converting unit that converts a background color of the background, which is an area other than the characters in the character area extracted by the character-area extracting unit to a predetermined prescribed background color.