It is to optimize the initial threshold voltages of each memory area in a semiconductor memory device including a plurality of memory areas. A semiconductor memory device according to the embodiment includes a first memory area for storing data and a second memory area for storing the information related to the first memory area. In the respective memory cells arranged in the first and the second memory areas, the initial threshold voltages of the memory cells arranged in the second memory area are designed to be higher than those of the memory cells arranged in the first memory area.