Image forming apparatus that forms image according to instruction from remote location

An image forming apparatus includes an enquirer that temporarily suspends production of a printed material, after at least one set of the printed materials has been produced, upon deciding that a print request has been sent from a predetermined remote location distant from an installation site of the image forming apparatus, and enquires whether the production of the printed material may be resumed, to a user through a network I/F, a response receiver that receives a response from the user, to the enquiry made by the enquirer, and a controller that resumes the production of the printed material, upon deciding that the response receiver has received a permission to resume the production of the printed material, from the user.