According to one embodiment, an image processing apparatus and an image processing method includes a processed image generation unit, a provisional detection unit, and a final detection unit. The processed image generation unit generates a processed image for detection processing from an image around a vehicle taken by a camera provided on the vehicle. The provisional detection unit scans a scanning frame of a predetermined size according to a detection target object on the processed image, and detects a plurality of position candidate regions of the detection target object within the processed image by determining a feature value for respective scanning positions using a dictionary of the detection target object. The final detection unit determines an overlapping region of the plurality of position candidate regions, and determines a final detection position of the detection target object within the processed image based on the overlapping region and the plurality of position candidate regions.