A paper sheet recognition apparatus, comprising: a transport path on which paper sheets are transported; a first sensor which is opposed to one of faces of each paper sheet being transported, and performs detection in a first recognition zone of the transport path; a second sensor which is opposed to the other face of each paper sheet being transported, and performs detection in a second recognition zone of the transport path; and a sensor controller which controls the first and second sensors, wherein the first sensor includes a first light emission unit and a second light emission unit which emit rays of light from mutually different directions to the first recognition zone (Zl), a first optical sensor which detects light reflected from the paper sheet in the first recognition zone, and a third light emission unit which emits light to the second recognition zone, the second sensor includes a second optical sensor which detects light transmitted through the paper sheet in the second recognition zone, the sensor controller controls operations of the first and second sensors, the operations being divided into a plurality of phases, the plurality of phases includes a first phase in which the first light emission unit emits light, the second light emission unit emits no light, and the first optical sensor detects reflective light, and a second phase in which the first light emission unit emits no light, the second light emission unit emits light, and the first optical sensor detects reflective light, and in at least one of the first phase or the second phase, the third light emission unit emits light, and the second optical sensor detects transmitted light. a transport path on which paper sheets are transported; a first sensor which is opposed to one of faces of each paper sheet being transported, and performs detection in a first recognition zone of the transport path; a second sensor which is opposed to the other face of each paper sheet being transported, and performs detection in a second recognition zone of the transport path; and a sensor controller which controls the first and second sensors, wherein the first sensor includes a first light emission unit and a second light emission unit which emit rays of light from mutually different directions to the first recognition zone (Zl), a first optical sensor which detects light reflected from the paper sheet in the first recognition zone, and a third light emission unit which emits light to the second recognition zone, a first light emission unit and a second light emission unit which emit rays of light from mutually different directions to the first recognition zone (Zl), a first optical sensor which detects light reflected from the paper sheet in the first recognition zone, and a third light emission unit which emits light to the second recognition zone, the second sensor includes a second optical sensor which detects light transmitted through the paper sheet in the second recognition zone, the sensor controller controls operations of the first and second sensors, the operations being divided into a plurality of phases, the plurality of phases includes a first phase in which the first light emission unit emits light, the second light emission unit emits no light, and the first optical sensor detects reflective light, and a second phase in which the first light emission unit emits no light, the second light emission unit emits light, and the first optical sensor detects reflective light, and a first phase in which the first light emission unit emits light, the second light emission unit emits no light, and the first optical sensor detects reflective light, and a second phase in which the first light emission unit emits no light, the second light emission unit emits light, and the first optical sensor detects reflective light, and in at least one of the first phase or the second phase, the third light emission unit emits light, and the second optical sensor detects transmitted light.