A howling control apparatus and howling control method for controlling time up to the cancellation of howling suppression according to a howling occurrence situation, thereby eliminating the repetition of howling suppression and cancellation. A howling detecting section (104) detects howling based on the band level and the band level average value and measures time for which no howling occurs, a waiting time setting section (105) decides waiting time to be set this time from time for which no howling occurs and a previous waiting time, and a gain control section (106) causes a gain that is set to a howling suppressing section (107) to be retuned to a normal value during the waiting time.