1. A character sectioning apparatus for segmenting character string images into individual characters by means of a projection distribution obtained through a series of character string images, comprising: a means for identifying a plurality of character lumps, separated by spaces, from said projection distribution; means for estimating a character pitch; means means responsive to said projection distribution and said character pitch for setting segmentation candidate sections comprising a plurality of segmentation candidate positions; means for calculating a distance measurement between each of said segmentation candidate positions within said segmentation candidate sections and segmentation candidate positions within an adjacent segmentation candidate section; means for calculating an appreciation standard as a function of said distance measurements for segmentation candidate positions in each of said plurality of segmentation candidate sections; and means for selecting an optimum segmentation candidate position for each of said plurality of segmentation candidate sections; wherein each optimum segmentation candidate position minimizes said appreciation standard for the respective segmentation candidate section.