Method for producing polyarylene sulfide

A method for producing a polyarylene sulfide, the method comprising:

• first polymerization in which a mixture containing a sulfur source and a dihalo aromatic compound in an organic amide solvent is heated to initiate a polymerization reaction and produce a reaction mixture;
• phase separation agent addition in which a phase separation agent is added to the reaction mixture after the first polymerization;
• second polymerization in which a predetermined first temperature (T1) from 240° C. to 290° C. is maintained for 10 minutes or longer after the phase separation agent addition to continue the polymerization reaction;
• third polymerization in which a predetermined second temperature (T2) from 235° C. to 245° C. is maintained for 0.1 hours or longer and shorter than 2 hours after the second polymerization to continue the polymerization reaction;
• and
• fourth polymerization in which the polymerization reaction is continued at a predetermined third temperature (T3) of 240° C. or higher and lower than 250° C. after the third polymerization,
• wherein a relationship among T1, T2, and T3 is T1>T3>T2.