In an atmospheric-pressure plasma processing apparatus, a first metal surface 21a of a first stage portion 21 of a stage 20 is exposed and an object to be processed W composed of a dielectric material is placed on the first metal surface 21a. A second stage portion 22 is disposed on a peripheral edge of the first stage portion 21. A solid dielectric layer 25 is disposed on a second metal 24 of the second stage portion 22. A peripheral portion of the object W is placed on an inner dielectric portion 26 of the solid dielectric layer 25. An electrode 11 generates a run up discharge D2 in a second movement range R2 above the second stage portion 22. Then, the electrode 11 is moved to a first movement range R1 above the first stage portion 21 and generates a regular plasma discharge D1.