Provided is a programming method for improving the retention characteristics of information in a variable resistance nonvolatile memory element. The method includes: a first writing process of applying a first voltage V1 having a first polarity to set the variable resistance nonvolatile storage element to a low resistance state LR indicating first logic information (S01); a second writing process of applying a second voltage V2 having a second polarity different from the first polarity to set the variable resistance nonvolatile storage element to a first high resistance state HR1 (S02); and a partial write process of applying a third voltage V3 having the first polarity so as to set the variable resistance layer to a second high resistance state HR2 indicating second logic information different from the first logic information (S05). Here, |V3|