PURPOSE: To make the inputting operation of a character processor easier, by displaying the leading line of a page being currently processed when only page retrieval is designated without designating the number of pages to be retrieved.

CONSTITUTION: When data inputted from a keyboard (KB)11 is that indicating page retrieval, a word processor controlling section 3 shifts the control to a page retrieval controlling section 5. Then, at the page retrieval controlling section 5, the number of pages designated from the KB11 is discriminated and each data from the leading line of the designated page are successively displayed from the leading location of the display picture of a CRT7. When no page is designated from the KB11, the controlling section 5 retrieves a page being currently displayed on the CRT7 from the leading line and displays the control so that each data from the leading line are displayed on the display picture of the CRT7 from the leading location. In this case, the number of the pages being currently displayed is stored in a displaying page register 5a and the page retrieving process is terminated. At this time, a cursor also moves simultaneously to the leading line of the displayed page.