PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a surface protective member which is easy to remove from the surface of a wafer and eliminates or reduces a remaining paste or adhesive on the surface of a device, and a method for manufacturing a wafer by using the surface protective member.SOLUTION: A surface protective member which protects a surface of a wafer having a device area having a plurality of devices formed on the surface, and a circumference excessive area surrounding the device area, comprises a disk-like base having a recess larger than the device area of the wafer and smaller than a diameter of the wafer on a surface thereof and having a diameter equal to or larger than the diameter of the wafer, and an uneven absorption member disposed in the recess. A plurality of through holes from a bottom of the recess to a rear surface are formed in the disk-like base.
