Abstract: The inspection apparatus inspects defects of wafer circumference by processing the image information of the wafer circumference. The inspection apparatus includes a wafer moving unit and an image information acquisition unit. The moving unit accommodates the semiconductor wafers and either moves the wafers linearly or rotates the wafers. The moving unit moves the wafers linearly in a direction of the plane of the wafers when the image information of a linear portion of the wafer is being obtained by the image information acquisition unit. The moving unit rotates the wafers when the image information on a round portion of the wafer circumference is being obtained.