1. An image processing apparatus, comprising: a retrieval unit adapted to extract a plurality of character strings that are present within an inputted image, and retrieve a plurality of identical character strings within the plurality of character strings thus extracted; a determination unit adapted to determine whether or not the plurality of identical character strings retrieved by the retrieval unit are laid out regularly; and a processing unit adapted to carry out a process on the inputted image in response to a determination result of the determination unit.