Release paper base paper includes a substrate; and a coating agent containing a modified polyvinyl alcohol (A) and sodium acetate, the substrate coated with the coating agent, wherein the modified polyvinyl alcohol (A) has 0.005 mol % or more and less than 10 mol % of double bonds derived from unsaturated carboxylic acid or a derivative thereof (B) in side chains, has 1.4 mol % or more and 2.0 mol % or less of 1,2-glycol bond, units, and is water soluble, and a content of the sodium acetate relative to the modified polyvinyl alcohol (A) is 0.01 mass % or more and 10 mass % or less. The release paper base paper of the present invention is excellent in sealing properties for silicone. Use of the release paper base paper allows acceleration of curing of silicone in a release layer and improvement in adhesion between the substrate and the release layer.