When an instruction for emergency stop of an image processing system due to an abnormal state of the image processing system is given, a main process of the image processing system gives, to all of subprocesses and image processing-related equipment which are managed thereby, an instruction for stopping processing which is being executed and forcedly making transition to an initial state, that is, a state at the time of starting (at the time of generating a process). When a normal response to the instruction is received from each of processes and equipment within a specified time, it is determined that the abnormal state of the image processing system has been eliminated and the image processing system has been restored, and a notice that emergency stop and reset (transition to an initial state) of the image processing system (and the image processing-related equipment) has been completed, is given to an operator.