A method of predictive-encoding a multi-view image, the method comprising: obtaining a picture in one view image sequence to be encoded by using inter-view prediction from a multi-view image sequence, the image sequences of the multi-view image sequence each comprising a view sequence of pictures, aligned with one other view sequence in time, the obtained picture comprising a non-anchor picture; determining whether the obtained picture in one view image sequence is a reference picture referred to by any other pictures aligned with the obtained picture in time in another view image sequence, among the image sequences of the multi-view image sequence, for inter-view prediction of the other pictures; and encoding the obtained picture with determined information that indicates either the obtained picture is a reference picture referred to or not referred to for inter-view prediction of the other pictures aligned with the obtained picture in time in another view image sequence wherein the information is included in a network abstraction layer unit header; and if the obtained picture is determined to be a reference picture referred to for inter-view prediction of the others, encoding the others by using inter-view prediction with the obtained picture as a reference picture, and including the obtained picture in a reference picture list of the other pictures; if the obtained picture is determined to be not a reference picture referred to for inter-view prediction of the other pictures, encoding the others by using inter-view prediction without referring to the obtained picture, and not including the obtained picture in a reference picture list of the other pictures; wherein the obtained picture is not stored for inter-view prediction of the other pictures if the obtained picture is determined to be not a reference picture referred to for inter-view prediction of the other pictures. obtaining a picture in one view image sequence to be encoded by using inter-view prediction from a multi-view image sequence, the image sequences of the multi-view image sequence each comprising a view sequence of pictures, aligned with one other view sequence in time, the obtained picture comprising a non-anchor picture; determining whether the obtained picture in one view image sequence is a reference picture referred to by any other pictures aligned with the obtained picture in time in another view image sequence, among the image sequences of the multi-view image sequence, for inter-view prediction of the other pictures; and encoding the obtained picture with determined information that indicates either the obtained picture is a reference picture referred to or not referred to for inter-view prediction of the other pictures aligned with the obtained picture in time in another view image sequence wherein the information is included in a network abstraction layer unit header; and if the obtained picture is determined to be a reference picture referred to for inter-view prediction of the others, encoding the others by using inter-view prediction with the obtained picture as a reference picture, and including the obtained picture in a reference picture list of the other pictures; if the obtained picture is determined to be not a reference picture referred to for inter-view prediction of the other pictures, encoding the others by using inter-view prediction without referring to the obtained picture, and not including the obtained picture in a reference picture list of the other pictures; wherein the obtained picture is not stored for inter-view prediction of the other pictures if the obtained picture is determined to be not a reference picture referred to for inter-view prediction of the other pictures.