An inching mechanism for a scanning probe microscope capable of performing measurement with high precision while enhancing the scanning speed by a probe furthermore, and a scanning probe microscope comprising it. The inching mechanism for a scanning probe microscope which is provided in a scanning probe microscope (SPM) (1) having a stage (16) for mounting a sample S, and a probe (20) approaching closely to or touching the surface of the sample S, characterized in that the inching mechanism comprises a first drive section and a second drive section provided independently, a probe inching mechanism (26) having the first drive section and inching, by the first drive section, the probe (20) in the X direction and Y direction parallel with the surface of the sample S and intersecting each other, and a stage inching mechanism (27) having the second drive section and inching, by the second drive section, the stage (16) in the Z direction perpendicular to the surface of the sample S.