An image decoding method of decoding, on a per-block basis, a coded image included in a bitstream, includes: performing arithmetic decoding on a current block to be decoded; determining whether or not the current block is at the end of a slice; determining, when it is determined that the current block is not at the end of the slice, whether or not the current block is at the end of a sub-stream which is a structural unit of the image that is different from the slice; and performing arithmetic decoding on a sub-last bit and performing arithmetic decoding termination, when it is determined that the current block is at the end of the sub-stream.