IMAGE REDUCING APPARATUS AND REDUCED IMAGE GENERATING METHOD

In a case where a padded orthogonally transformed block obtained by orthogonally transforming a padded image block of 8×8 pixels to which padding data has been added has been recorded as compressed image data, the padded orthogonally transformed block is subjected to an inverse orthogonal transformation to thereby restore the padded image block. Padding data contained in the restored padded image block is replaced with a portion obtained by copying a portion of the original image, thereby generating a modified image block. In a case where the true width of an edge pixel corresponding to an edge among the pixels forming the image block is less than 0.5, the pixel is obtained by adjusting the level of a pixel adjacent to the edge pixel in such a manner that it will have a level conforming to the width and level of the edge pixel.