In an inspection apparatus, a plurality of light source parts (42, 43) for irradiating an object area on a surface of an object (9) with light from a plurality of directions, respectively, are provided, and a first picked-up image representing an object area is acquired in one image pickup part (32, 33) by light irradiation from one of the plurality of light source parts and a second picked-up image is acquired in the image pickup part by light irradiation from the plurality of light source parts. Further, a first defect candidate area is detected by comparing the first picked-up image with a first reference image corresponding to the first picked-up image and a second defect candidate area is detected by comparing the second picked-up image with a second reference image corresponding to the second picked-up image. Then, an overlapping area in the first defect candidate area and the second defect candidate area is specified as a defect area in the object area. It is thereby possible to detect a defect on the
