A recognition processing apparatus includes a video acquisition unit configured to acquire first captured image data of surroundings of a host vehicle captured by a far-infrared camera, an other vehicle detection unit configured to detect another vehicle parked or stopped in the surroundings of the host vehicle, a heat detection unit configured to detect radiated heat associated with an operation of the other vehicle based on a thermal distribution in a region corresponding to the other vehicle in the first captured image data, and a person detection unit configured to, when the radiated heat has been detected, preferentially execute person recognition in a vicinity of the other vehicle to detect a person. The recognition processing apparatus can ascertain the possibility that a person gets out of a detected vehicle and promptly detect such a person.