A reference color selection device includes a determination unit that compares a first and second magnitudes of a first second candidate colors with respect plural wavelengths and determines whether or not there is any wavelength that provides a reverse magnitude relationship between the first and second magnitudes reverse to a magnitude relationship at other wavelengths, the first and second candidate colors being included in a color group of reference colors used in color correction of a target color; and a selection unit that selects the color group as the reference colors when there is not a combination of the first and second candidate colors about which the determination unit determines that there is the wavelength that provides the reverse magnitude relationship in the color group to be the candidates of the reference colors.