An image processing apparatus comprising: a gradation correction unit configured to perform gradation correction upon a subject image divided into a plurality of regions, and configured to generate a corrected image, wherein the gradation correction comprises processing for lowering contrast in the subject image; an adjusted data generation section configured to generate information image data indicating a relative balance of brightness in the subject image; and an adjustment unit configured to adjust brightness of the corrected image generated by the gradation correction unit on a pixel basis, wherein the adjustment is based on the information image data generated and provided by the adjusted data generation section; characterized in that the adjusted data generation section comprises an information image generation unit (72, 73, 74, 75) configured to generate the information image data comprising luminance information reflecting a high-frequency component contained in the subject image, in that the information image generation unit (72, 73, 74, 75) comprises a global luminance image generation unit configured to perform filter processing using a smoothing filter having edge preserving properties to generate global luminance image data forming a global luminance image, which is an image where each portion is greatly blurred while edges are maintained, and which indicates global condition of brightness in the subject image; and in that the information image generation unit (72, 73, 74, 75) is configured to generate the information image data by performing processing comprising subtraction processing in which a luminance value of each pixel in the global luminance image is subtracted from a luminance value of a corresponding pixel in the subject image. a gradation correction unit configured to perform gradation correction upon a subject image divided into a plurality of regions, and configured to generate a corrected image, wherein the gradation correction comprises processing for lowering contrast in the subject image; an adjusted data generation section configured to generate information image data indicating a relative balance of brightness in the subject image; and an adjustment unit configured to adjust brightness of the corrected image generated by the gradation correction unit on a pixel basis, wherein the adjustment is based on the information image data generated and provided by the adjusted data generation section; characterized in that the adjusted data generation section comprises an information image generation unit (72, 73, 74, 75) configured to generate the information image data comprising luminance information reflecting a high-frequency component contained in the subject image, in that the information image generation unit (72, 73, 74, 75) comprises a global luminance image generation unit configured to perform filter processing using a smoothing filter having edge preserving properties to generate global luminance image data forming a global luminance image, which is an image where each portion is greatly blurred while edges are maintained, and which indicates global condition of brightness in the subject image; and in that the information image generation unit (72, 73, 74, 75) is configured to generate the information image data by performing processing comprising subtraction processing in which a luminance value of each pixel in the global luminance image is subtracted from a luminance value of a corresponding pixel in the subject image.