FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE March 30, 2005 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 -March 30, 2005 - 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 April 1, 2005 2. Number of stock acquisition rights issued 40 3. Issuance price No consideration shall be paid. 4. Class and total number of shares underlying 4,000 shares of common the stock acquisition rights stock of Advantest Corporation (each stock acquisition right shall be exercisable for 100 shares) 5. Total subscription price to be paid upon 746,400 Yen (7,464 Yen per exercise of each stock acquisition right share) 6. The total value of all shares (newly 29,856,000 Yen issued exercise of 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 acquisition rights and its overseas subsidiary, totaling 2 For Reference (1) The date of the meeting of the Board of Directors May 28, 2004 setting the date for the annual general meeting of shareholders (2) Date of the resolution made pursuant to the annual June 25, 2004 general meeting of shareholders