An image input section pre-inputs an image. A temporary storage section temporarily stores the image input by the image input section. An attribute control section controls at least attribute information of the input information temporarily stored in the temporary storage section. A selection section permits a user at the origin of image request to select a desired one of already stored images stored in the temporary storage section in accordance with the attribute information controlled by the attribute control section. An image transfer section reads out the desired image selected by the selection section from the temporary storage section at the time of the request by origin of the image request and transfers the desired image to the origin of the image request via a network.