The present invention relates to a retrieval method for searching a first
character element string obtained by subjecting a character string to
character recognition for a second character element string. The first
character element string includes a first character element and the
second character element string includes a second character element. A
distance relevant to a similarity between the first character element and
the second character element is predetermined between the first character
element and the second character element. The retrieval method comprises
the steps of comparing the distance with a predetermined reference
distance, and determining whether the second character element matches
the first character element based on a result of the comparison of the
distance with the predetermined reference distance.