A process for producing a sputtering target in which a target material is diffusion-bonded to a backing plate material having an annular frame part, the method comprising: an incorporating step of incorporating the target material inside the frame part of the backing plate material in such a manner that the uppermost position of the target material becomes higher than the uppermost position of the frame part of the backing plate material in a height direction of the frame part of the backing plate material; and a bonding step of diffusion-bonding the target material to the backing plate material.