According to one embodiment, a controller identifies a fourth storage location on which a second step program operation is executed last among storage locations of a block and determines whether a condition that a fifth storage location stores unreadable data and each of memory cells of a sixth storage location has a threshold voltage corresponding to an erased state, is satisfied. Among the storage locations, in response to completion of a first step program operation on the fifth storage location, the second step program operation on the fourth storage location has been executed, and the first step program operation on the sixth storage location is to be executed after completion of the second step program operation on the fifth storage location.