A magnetic resonance imaging apparatus configured for automatically setting an imaging position, comprising an imaging unit configured to acquire an image of a subject based on nuclear magnetic resonance, and an imaging position determination unit configured to calculate an imaging range (902, 903) of the subject and determine an imaging position of the subject for a slice-based main scan in magnetic resonance imaging, and a measurement control unit configured to control the imaging unit to perform a scout scan including acquisition of multiple image frames during one or more cycles of a periodic respiratory motion of the subject, wherein the imaging position determination unit is adapted to use the image frames acquired by the imaging unit to calculate multiple imaging ranges (902, 903) including a minimum imaging range that embraces a predetermined tissue at a time of breath holding of the subject, and a maximum imaging range that embraces a range in which the tissue is displaced within a cycle of the periodic respiratory motion at a time of free breathing of the subject, and determine any of the multiple imaging ranges (902, 903) as the imaging position for the main scan, according to imaging conditions, wherein the imaging conditions include a breath-hold imaging during which the imaging position determination unit determines the imaging position at a position in accordance with a phase of the periodic respiratory motion, setting the minimum imaging range as the imaging range, and the imaging conditions include a respiratory gated imaging during which the imaging position determination unit determines the imaging position setting the maximum imaging range as the imaging range. an imaging unit configured to acquire an image of a subject based on nuclear magnetic resonance, and an imaging position determination unit configured to calculate an imaging range (902, 903) of the subject and determine an imaging position of the subject for a slice-based main scan in magnetic resonance imaging, and a measurement control unit configured to control the imaging unit to perform a scout scan including acquisition of multiple image frames during one or more cycles of a periodic respiratory motion of the subject, wherein the imaging position determination unit is adapted to use the image frames acquired by the imaging unit to calculate multiple imaging ranges (902, 903) including a minimum imaging range that embraces a predetermined tissue at a time of breath holding of the subject, and a maximum imaging range that embraces a range in which the tissue is displaced within a cycle of the periodic respiratory motion at a time of free breathing of the subject, and determine any of the multiple imaging ranges (902, 903) as the imaging position for the main scan, according to imaging conditions, wherein the imaging conditions include a breath-hold imaging during which the imaging position determination unit determines the imaging position at a position in accordance with a phase of the periodic respiratory motion, setting the minimum imaging range as the imaging range, and the imaging conditions include a respiratory gated imaging during which the imaging position determination unit determines the imaging position setting the maximum imaging range as the imaging range.