The present invention is an image recording material characterized in that it contains (a) a compound that is decomposed by light or heat and produces an acid, (b) a crosslinking agent that crosslinks in the presence of an acid, (c) a high-polymer compound insoluble in water but soluble in an alkali aqueous solution, and (d) the anionic infrared absorbing agent expressed by general formula (I) or general formula (II) below. In the formulas, M represents a conjugated chain, Ga− represents an anionic substituent, Gb represents a neutral substituent, Xm+1 represents a hydrogen ion or a cation of m valence, and m represents an integer from 1 to 6.