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Please predict whether this patent is acceptable.PATENT ABSTRACT: In a program generation apparatus, a processing unit selects a first program from among a plurality of image processing programs each generated by combining a plurality of partial programs; generates a second program by changing a part of the partial programs included in the first program; performs image processing on an input image, using the second program; determines whether to pass the second program to the next generation, based on a comparison between one or more intermediate output images that are output halfway through the image processing and a first target image; and replaces one of the image processing programs with the second program when the second program is determined to be passed to the next generation.