A picture coding apparatus, optimizing a data amount of coded picture data without entailing an increase in circuit size and/or power consumption, includes a picture input unit obtaining a moving picture signal Vin. Further, the picture coding apparatus includes a buffer, includes a lead detecting unit detecting a lead portion from the moving picture represented by the moving picture signal Vin, includes a coding unit coding the moving picture signal Vin in the lead portion detected by the lead detecting unit, according to a coding condition for temporary coding, and includes a coding condition generating unit generating a coding condition for actual coding, based on the result of the coding by the coding unit and the coding condition for temporary coding. Additionally, coding unit codes the moving picture signal Vin representing the moving picture including the aforementioned lead portion, according to the coding condition for actual coding.