A 64-year-old man received thoracoscopic lung resection for primary lung adenocarcinoma in the left upper lobe. After the surgery, cough and skin rash with desquamation appeared. chest computed tomography (CT) exhibited new interstitial opacities with traction bronchiectasis in the lower lobes. Serum tested positive for anti-PL-7 antibodies. We made a diagnosis of interstitial pneumonia associated with anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase antibody (ARS) syndrome. Examination of excised lung confirmed the existence of pathological changes suggestive of interstitial pneumonia, indicating that the syndrome was already present at the time of surgery. We speculated that pre-existing interstitial pneumonia with anti-ARS antibody syndrome became clinically apparent through the stress of surgery. He was treated with glucocorticoids and his symptoms gradually improved. We report a case of interstitial pneumonia associated with anti-ARS antibody syndrome, that became clinically apparent after lung cancer surgery.