ARITHMETIC PROCESSING CIRCUIT AND ARITHMETIC PROCESSING METHOD

An arithmetic processing circuit includes an fetch unit configured to generate fetch addresses, an address table configured to store a branch address and a first tag for each of a plurality of indexes, the indexes being a first bit string extracted from a fetch address by including at least one bit among instruction address bits whose values vary within one fetch line, the first tag being a second bit string situated at higher bit positions than the first bit string, an upper tag storage unit configured to store a second tag situated at higher bit positions than the first tag, and a branch determination unit configured to supply to the fetch unit the branch address retrieved from the address table, upon determining that the first tag retrieved from the address table and the second tag in the upper tag storage unit match respective portions of the fetch address.