An apparatus 10 for controlling image quality reduction of image information, which is related to the present invention, has a VLD 30 for introducing a code stream input 21 thereinto of image information based on an MPEG, a reverse circuit 40 for introducing a pre-reverse level 32 thereinto from the VLD 30, and a VLC 50 for introducing a RUN 31 from the VLD 30 and an after-reverse level 42 from the reverse circuit 40, and a code stream output 51 of image information based on the MPEG is generated by the VLC 50 and is sent therefrom, and this code stream output 51 is provided for a digital copy.