The present invention relates to an azo compound that is useful as a dichroic pigment used in a polarizing plate having excellent polarizing performance and durability and having little color leakage in a visible light region, and used in a neutral gray polarizing plate for vehicle mounting that uses the aforementioned polarizing plate. More specifically, the invention relates to an azo compound that is represented by formula (1) [In the formula, R1-R4 each independently represent a hydrogen atom, a C1-5 alkyl group, a C1-5 alkoxy group, a sulfo group, or a C1-5 alkoxy group having a sulfo group, X represents an amino group having a substituent, a benzoylamino group having a substituent, a phenylamino group having a substituent, a phenylazo group having a substituent, or a naphthotriazole group having a substituent, m represents 3 or 4, n represents 1 or 2, and p represents 1, 2, or 3.], or to a salt of said compound.