FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE October 26, 2004 ADVANTEST CORPORATION (Toshio Maruyama, President and COO) (Stock Code Number: 6857, TSE first section) (Ticker Symbol: ATE, NYSE) CONTACT: Yuri Morita (Managing Executive Officer and Senior Vice President, Corporate Affairs Group) Phone: +81-(0)3-3214-7500 Advantest Issues Stock Option (Stock Acquisition Rights) Tokyo -October 26, 2004 - Advantest Corporation (the "Company") resolved at a meeting of its Board of Directors today to issue stock options in the form of stock acquisition rights pursuant to Article 280 Paragraphs 20 and 21 of the Commercial Code and a shareholders resolution at the 62nd annual general meeting of shareholders under the terms set forth below. 1. Date of issuance November 15, 2004 2. Number of stock acquisition rights issued 40 3. Issuance price No consideration shall be paid. 4. Class and total number of shares 4,000 shares of common stock of underlying the stock acquisition rights Advantest Corporation (each stock acquisition right shall be exercisable for 100 shares) 5. Total subscription price to be paid 746,400 Yen (7,464 Yen per share) upon exercise of each stock acquisition right 6. The total value of all shares (newly 29,856,000 Yen issued shares or treasury shares) issued or delivered upon the exercise of stock acquisition rights 7. Exercise period of the stock acquisition Between April 1, 2005 and rights March 31, 2009 8. The amount of the issuance price of the 3,732 Yen per share newly issued shares issued pursuant to the exercise of stock acquisition rights that will be incorporated into capital 9. The number of employees receiving stock Employees of the Company's overseas acquisition rights subsidiaries, totaling 2 1 For Reference (1) The date of the meeting of the Board of May 28, 2004 Directors setting the date for the annual general meeting of shareholders (2) Date of the resolution made pursuant to the June 25, 2004 annual general meeting of shareholders 2