A toner including a binder resin, a coloring agent, an infrared absorbing
agent having at least a maximum absorption wavelength in a wavelength
range of from 700 to 1,100 nm, and a fixed surface protective agent,
wherein, for a cross section observation of the toner, the infrared
absorbing agent which exists in the vicinity of the fixed surface
protective agent occupies at least 60% by area based on the entire area
of the infrared absorbing agent and is present inside the toner closer to
the surface of the toner than to the center area thereof.