Image processing apparatus and image processing method

An image processing apparatus for identifying a candidate area, from among a plurality of candidate areas in a first image, corresponding to an object in a second image, the image processing apparatus comprising:

• a memory;
• and
• a processor coupled to the memory and configured to:
• divide the plurality of candidate areas in the first image into a plurality of small candidate areas, respectively,
• divide an image area of the object in the second image into a plurality of small areas,
• perform, regarding each of the plurality of candidate areas, first comparison processing for comparing a small area corresponding to a first part with a small candidate area corresponding to the first part, the first part being a part of the object,
• when there is no a first candidate area lacking image information of the small candidate area corresponding to the first part, identify the candidate area corresponding to the object based on a result of the first comparison processing, and
• when there is the first candidate area,
• perform second comparison processing for comparing another small area corresponding to a second part with another small area corresponding to the second part for each of the plurality of candidate areas, the second part being different from the first part,
• predict missing result on the small candidate area corresponding to the first part in the first candidate area based on the result of the first comparison processing on a candidate area other than the first candidate area, and a result of the second comparison processing on the plurality of candidate areas, and
• identify the candidate area corresponding to the object based on the result of the first comparison processing and a result of a prediction.