A method for producing a 3-mercaptoaniline compound, which is a known intermediate for a 3-(1H-1,2,4-triazol-1-yl)phenylsulfide derivative, useful as a pesticide, and a method for producing a compound which can be used as a starting material in producing the 3-mercaptoaniline compound are disclosed. In one embodiment the nitro group and the chlorosulfonyl group of a 3-nitrobenzenesulfonyl chloride compound represented by general formula (1): are reduced in the presence of an acid catalyst to produce a compound of general formula (2): In the above general formulas (1) and (2), R represents an alkyl group or a cyclic alkyl group, and X represents a halogen atom.