A process for producing a polyphenylene ether, which comprises contacting, with an aqueous solution of a chelating agent, a polyphenylene ether solution and adding a water-soluble poor solvent for the polyphenylene ether to precipitate the polyphenylene ether; and recovering the thus precipitated polyphenylene ether. A mixture remaining after the recovery of the polyphenylene ether is brought into contact with water to extract the water-soluble poor solvent, and a water phase containing the thus extracted water-soluble poor solvent is recovered by separation. The water-soluble poor solvent is separated and removed from the water phase by distillation, and the whole or a part of the remaining water phase is recycled as water to be brought into contact with the mixture, the remaining water phase having a content of a high-boiling-point organic substance of 1 wt. % or less.