An automatic analyzer comprising: a rack supplying unit configured to supply a specimen rack which stores a specimen container for holding a specimen; a conveying lane configured to convey a specimen rack supplied from the rack supplying unit, in a first direction; an analysis unit having a reaction disk on which a reaction vessel is arranged, and a dispensing lane with a sampling area serving as a position for dispensing a sample from the specimen container to the reaction vessel, and with an area serving as a position where the specimen rack waits on the upstream side of the sampling area until the sample dispensing starts, wherein the dispensing lane is configured to convey the specimen rack in the first direction from an upstream side to a downstream side; a mechanism configured to transfer the specimen rack between the conveying lane and the dispensing lane upstream and downstream of the sampling area; and a controller configured to control conveying of the specimen rack, wherein said mechanism is further configured to transfer the specimen rack from the conveying lane to the dispensing lane downstream of the sampling area; the dispensing lane is further configured to convey the specimen rack transferred from said mechanism, in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and the controller is configured, in analysing an emergency specimen when a specimen rack storing a specimen container holding a normal specimen is present in the sampling area, to control operation of the dispensing lane such that: the emergency specimen rack storing a specimen container holding the emergency specimen is conveyed from the conveying lane to the dispensing lane from the downstream side of the sampling area to the sampling area and the specimen rack storing the specimen container holding the normal specimen is conveyed adjacent to a position upstream of the sampling area on the dispensing lane . a rack supplying unit configured to supply a specimen rack which stores a specimen container for holding a specimen; a conveying lane configured to convey a specimen rack supplied from the rack supplying unit, in a first direction; an analysis unit having a reaction disk on which a reaction vessel is arranged, and a dispensing lane with a sampling area serving as a position for dispensing a sample from the specimen container to the reaction vessel, and with an area serving as a position where the specimen rack waits on the upstream side of the sampling area until the sample dispensing starts, wherein the dispensing lane is configured to convey the specimen rack in the first direction from an upstream side to a downstream side; a mechanism configured to transfer the specimen rack between the conveying lane and the dispensing lane upstream and downstream of the sampling area; and a controller configured to control conveying of the specimen rack, wherein said mechanism is further configured to transfer the specimen rack from the conveying lane to the dispensing lane downstream of the sampling area; the dispensing lane is further configured to convey the specimen rack transferred from said mechanism, in a second direction opposite to the first direction; and the controller is configured, in analysing an emergency specimen when a specimen rack storing a specimen container holding a normal specimen is present in the sampling area, to control operation of the dispensing lane such that: the emergency specimen rack storing a specimen container holding the emergency specimen is conveyed from the conveying lane to the dispensing lane from the downstream side of the sampling area to the sampling area and the specimen rack storing the specimen container holding the normal specimen is conveyed adjacent to a position upstream of the sampling area on the dispensing lane . <EOS>