To provide a technique that reduces deposition of dust on a workpiece and facilitates releasing the workpiece from a suction pad.

A workpiece supporting apparatus includes: a support unit for supporting a suction mechanism and a pressing mechanism; a pad arranged at the suction mechanism to abut the workpiece; a sucking suction path, which is connected with a suction device and arranged at the pad, for sucking the workpiece on the pad by sucking air in the pad using the suction device; a piston, which is arranged in a pressing mechanism and is slidable along an inner wall surface of a cylinder installed in the support unit, for pressing the workpiece sucked by the pad to detach the workpiece from the pad; an elastomer, which is arranged between the piston and the support unit, for pressing the piston by elastic force to make the piston press the workpiece sucked to the pad; and a separating suction path, which is arranged at the support unit and is connected with the suction device, for sucking the piston against the elastic force using the suction device to shrink the elastomer and separate the tip of the piston from the workpiece sucked to the pad.