Microencapsulated pigment, production process therefor, aqueous dispersion and ink jet recording ink

A process for producing a microencapsulated pigment, comprising

• coating pigment particles having a hydrophilic group on the surface thereof with a polymer,
• wherein said hydrophilic group on the surface of the pigment particles is an anionic group and the coating step comprises the steps of:
• (a) mixing a polymerization initiator having a cationic group with an aqueous dispersion having dispersed therein the pigment particles having the anionic group under a condition that does not activate said polymerization initiator;
• (b) adding a hydrophilic monomer, a surface active agent and, optionally, a comonomer copolymerizable with said hydrophilic monomer to the dispersion;
• and (c) activating said polymerization initiator to carry out emulsion polymerization.