An object of the present invention is to provide an acrylic acid-based star polymer which has a controlled structure with a narrow molecular weight distribution and acid decomposability. The star polymer contains, as a core portion, a polymer chain having a repeating unit derived from a polyacrylate which has at least two partial structures represented by formula (I):
(wherein R1, represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, R2 and R3 each independently represents an organic group which is combined via a carbon atom, and a Cl carbon represents a carbon atom which is combined with a moiety via a carbon atom) and, as an arm portion, a polymer chain having a repeating unit derived from a (meth)acrylic ester represented by formula (II):
(wherein R4 represents a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and represents an organic group), excluding a homopolymer chain having a repeating unit derived from a (meth)acrylic ester in which R5 is a C1-C4 alkyl group when R1 in formula (I) is a methyl group.