The invention provides an image fading preventing agent capable of preventing the discoloration/fading of an image formed and stably retaining its image quality over a long period of time, as well as an image forming element, a recording medium, an image forming method and an image using the agent. The image fading preventing agent is used in a region in which an image is formed by a coloring material, and has a functional group to cause intramolecular proton transfer in its molecule. An image is formed by the image forming element, recording medium or image forming method using the agent.