Disclosed is a wireless communication apparatus in which reception precision characteristics are improved, by specially adapting the modulating processing in respect of the code words for each encoding system. A wireless communication apparatus (100) wherein an encoding processing section (120) includes a convolutional encoder that performs convolutional encoding of fixed information blocks made up of K bits. In code word partial sequences obtained on the basis of the head and tail in a fixed information block, a modulating section (130) maps bits, from bit groups constituting single symbols, to bits associated with groups having poor quality characteristics, prioritising systematic bits over parity bits. In this way, the reception quality characteristics in first code word partial sequences having good error characteristics is equalised. Consequently, since portions having poor reception quality characteristics are prevented from prominent appearance in the first code word partial sequence, the result is that the reception quality characteristics and system throughput can be improved.