An information processing apparatus comprising: an image acquisition unit which is adapted to acquire a first partial image and a second partial image each formed by imaging a part of an observation target area; a stitching position adjustment unit which is adapted to adjust a stitching position between the first partial image and the second partial image; and an image analysis unit which is adapted to determine whether or not a foreign matter and a specimen are present in the partial images, by being adapted to determine whether or not the foreign matter and the specimen are present in each of a plurality of areas of a whole image corresponding to the first partial image and the second partial image, by using two types of whole images having the same field of view but different imaging conditions, and adapted to calculate a first likelihood indicating a degree of presence of the specimen for each area in the first type of whole image and a second likelihood indicating a probability of presence of the foreign matter for each area in the second type of whole image, to make said determination on the corresponding first partial image and second partial image on the basis of a result of the determination, characterized in that the image acquisition unit is adapted to acquire a partial image, adjacent the first partial image, including a specimen as the second partial image when it is determined that a foreign matter is included in the first partial image. an image acquisition unit which is adapted to acquire a first partial image and a second partial image each formed by imaging a part of an observation target area; a stitching position adjustment unit which is adapted to adjust a stitching position between the first partial image and the second partial image; and an image analysis unit which is adapted to determine whether or not a foreign matter and a specimen are present in the partial images, by being adapted to determine whether or not the foreign matter and the specimen are present in each of a plurality of areas of a whole image corresponding to the first partial image and the second partial image, by using two types of whole images having the same field of view but different imaging conditions, and adapted to calculate a first likelihood indicating a degree of presence of the specimen for each area in the first type of whole image and a second likelihood indicating a probability of presence of the foreign matter for each area in the second type of whole image, to make said determination on the corresponding first partial image and second partial image on the basis of a result of the determination, characterized in that the image acquisition unit is adapted to acquire a partial image, adjacent the first partial image, including a specimen as the second partial image when it is determined that a foreign matter is included in the first partial image. being adapted to determine whether or not the foreign matter and the specimen are present in each of a plurality of areas of a whole image corresponding to the first partial image and the second partial image, by using two types of whole images having the same field of view but different imaging conditions, and adapted to calculate a first likelihood indicating a degree of presence of the specimen for each area in the first type of whole image and a second likelihood indicating a probability of presence of the foreign matter for each area in the second type of whole image, to make said determination on the corresponding first partial image and second partial image on the basis of a result of the determination, characterized in that the image acquisition unit is adapted to acquire a partial image, adjacent the first partial image, including a specimen as the second partial image when it is determined that a foreign matter is included in the first partial image.