As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 29, 2003
                                              Registration No. 333-_________


                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            ________________________

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                            ________________________

                           KABUSHIKI KAISHA ADVANTEST
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                              ADVANTEST CORPORATION
                 (Translation of Registrant's name into English)

              Japan                                  Not Applicable
   (State or other jurisdiction of                 (I.R.S. Employer
   incorporation or organization)                  Identification No.)

                              Shinjuku-NS Building
                           4-1 Nishi-Shinjuku 2-chome
                           Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-0880
                                      Japan
              (Address of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

           THE ADVANTEST CORPORATION INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN 2003
                            (Full title of the plan)
                            ________________________

                   Advantest America Corporation (Holding Co.)
                              3201 Scott Boulevard
                          Santa Clara, California 95054
                         Attention: Corporate Secretary
                                 (408) 988-7700
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                 With a copy to:

                                 Masahisa Ikeda
                               Shearman & Sterling
                             Fukoku Seimei Building
                            2-2 Uchisaiwaicho 2-chome
                           Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0011
                                      Japan
                                 81-3-5251-1601



<PAGE>

                         CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE

<TABLE>
<CAPTION>
 ===================================================================================================================
         Title of Securities to be            Amount to be    Proposed Maximum   Proposed Maximum     Amount of
                 Registered                  Registered (2)  Offering Price per Aggregate Offering Registration Fee
                                                                  Share (3)            Price
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
<S>                                            <C>              <C>             <C>                 <C>
 Common Stock of Registrant (1)                 139,000         $43.94          $6,107,660          $494.11
 ===================================================================================================================
</TABLE>

(1)  Each share of the Registrant's common stock (the "Common Stock") issuable
     in the United States pursuant to the Rules of the Advantest Corporation
     Incentive Stock Option Plan 2003 (the "Plan") will be represented by four
     (4) American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") on deposit with JPMorgan Chase Bank
     (formerly known as Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as
     depositary bank (the "Depositary"). Each ADS will be evidenced by one (1)
     American Depositary Receipt issued by the Depositary. A separate
     Registration Statement on Form F-6 (Registration No. 333-13886) was filed
     with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on September
     5, 2001 for the registration of ADSs issuable upon deposit of shares of
     Common Stock.

(2)  Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
     "Securities Act"), there is also being registered such number of shares of
     Common Stock that may become available for issuance under the Plan in the
     event of certain changes in the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
     including reorganizations, mergers, recapitalizations, restructurings,
     stock dividends, stock splits, reverse stock splits and reclassifications.

(3)  Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act solely
     for the purpose of determining the registration fee. The exercise price is
     fixed in Japanese Yen. For purposes of calculating the filing fee, the
     exercise price has been converted to U.S. Dollars using the noon buying
     rate in New York, New York for cable transfers in Yen as certified for
     customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank on August 28, 2003.


                                       2
<PAGE>


                                     PART I


              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

          The documents containing the information specified in Part I, Items 1
and 2, will be delivered to employees in accordance with the "Note" to Part I of
Form S-8 and Rule 428 of the Securities Act.

                                       3
<PAGE>


                                     PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          The following documents filed with the Commission are incorporated by
reference as of their respective dates into this Registration Statement and
shall be deemed a part hereof:

          (i)  the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the
               Commission on June 30, 2003;

          (ii) the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               August 29, 2003;

          (iii) the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               July 25, 2003;

          (iv) the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               June 30, 2003;

          (v)  the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               May 20, 2003;

          (vi) the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               April 25, 2003; and

         (vii) the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 20-F filed with
               the Commission on September 4, 2001, which includes a description
               of the Common Stock (as represented by American Depositary
               Shares) of the Registrant.

          All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), subsequent to the date of the filing hereof and prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which
indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all
securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference
in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing
of such documents.

          Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent
that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document
which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded

                                       4
<PAGE>

shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part
of this Registration Statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

          Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          Not applicable.


                                       5
<PAGE>



Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

          Articles 254 and 280 of the Commercial Code of Japan (the "Commercial
Code") make the provisions of Section 10, Chapter 2, Book III of the Civil Code
of Japan applicable to the relationships between the Registrant and its
directors and corporate auditors, respectively. Section 10, among other things,
provides in effect that:

               (1)  Any director or corporate auditor of a company may demand
                    advance payment of expenses which are considered necessary
                    for the management of the affairs of such company entrusted
                    to such director or corporate auditor;

               (2)  If a director or corporate auditor of a company has defrayed
                    any expenses which are considered necessary for the
                    management of the affairs of such company entrusted to such
                    director or corporate auditor, the director or corporate
                    auditor may demand reimbursement therefore and interest
                    thereon after the date of payment from the company;

               (3)  If a director or corporate auditor has assumed an obligation
                    necessary for the management of affairs entrusted to such
                    director or corporate auditor, the director or corporate
                    auditor may require the company to perform it in such
                    director's or corporate auditor's place or, if it is not
                    due, to furnish adequate security; and

               (4)  If a director or corporate auditor, without any fault on
                    such director's or corporate auditor's part, sustains damage
                    through the management of the affairs entrusted to such
                    director or corporate auditor, the director or corporate
                    auditor may demand compensation therefore from the company.

          Under Article 279-2 of the Commercial Code, a company may not refuse a
demand from a corporate auditor referred to in subparagraphs (1) through (3)
above unless the company establishes that the relevant expense or obligation was
or is not necessary for the performance of the corporate auditor's duties.

          The Registrant maintains a directors' insurance policy to insure its
directors and corporate auditors against liability for actions or omissions
occurring in their capacity as director or corporate auditor, subject to certain
exclusions and limitations.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

          Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

          See Exhibit list on page 12 of this Registration Statement.

                                       6
<PAGE>

Item 9.  Undertakings.

          (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
                    being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
                    Statement:

                    (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
                         of the Securities Act;

                    (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                         arising after the effective date of this Registration
                         Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
                         thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
                         represent a fundamental change in the information set
                         forth in the Registration Statement; and

                   (iii) To include any material information with respect to
                         the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
                         this Registration Statement or any material change to
                         such information in this Registration Statement;

                    Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii)
                    of this section do not apply if the information required to
                    be in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
                    contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
                    Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                    of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into
                    this Registration Statement;

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
                    Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be
                    deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
                    securities offered therein, and the offering of such
                    securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
                    bona fide offering thereof; and

               (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
                    amendment any of the securities being registered which
                    remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

          (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the

                                       7
<PAGE>

Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.



                                       8
<PAGE>


                                   SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo of Japan on this 29 day of August, 2003.



                                            Advantest Corporation


                                            By: /s/ Hitoshi Owada
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Name:  Hitoshi Owada
                                                Title: Director and Managing
                                                       Executive Officer

                                       9
<PAGE>



                            SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY

          KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned
constitutes and appoints Hitoshi Owada as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact
and agent with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement,
and registration statements filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act,
and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection
therewith, with the Commission, granting such attorney-in-fact and agent, full
power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully and to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that such attorney-in-fact and agent may lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the indicated
capacities on August 29, 2003.

Signature                                    Capacity

/s/ Hiroshi Oura
-----------------------
Hiroshi Oura                        Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
                                    Officer

/s/ Shinpei Takeshita
-----------------------
Shinpei Takeshita                   Vice Chairman of the Board

/s/ Toshio Maruyama
-----------------------
Toshio Maruyama                     Representative Board Director, President
                                    and Chief Operating Officer

/s/ Kiyoshi Miyasaka
-----------------------
Kiyoshi Miyasaka                    Director and Senior Executive Officer

/s/ Junji Nishiura
-----------------------
Junji Nishiura                      Director and Senior Executive Officer

/s/ Hiroji Agata
-----------------------
Hiroji Agata                        Director and Senior Executive Officer

/s/ Hitoshi Owada
-----------------------
Hitoshi Owada                       Director and Managing Executive Officer


                                       10
<PAGE>



            SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United
States of Advantest Corporation has signed this Registration Statement or
amendment thereto in Santa Clara, California, on August 29, 2003.



                                Advantest America Corporation (Holding Co.)





                                By: /s/ Keith Hardwick
                                    --------------------------
                                    Name: Keith Hardwick
                                    Title: Corporate Secretary





                                       11
<PAGE>


                                  EXHIBIT INDEX


      Exhibit
      Number                         Description

        4.1         Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the
                    Registrant (English Translation) (incorporated by reference
                    herein to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 20-F (No.
                    001-15236), filed June 30, 2003).

        4.2         Regulations of the Board of Directors of the Registrant
                    (English Translation) (incorporated by reference herein to
                    the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 20-F (No. 001-15236),
                    filed June 30, 2003).

        4.3         Share Handling Regulations of the Registrant (English
                    Translation) (incorporated by reference herein to the
                    Registrant's Annual Report on Form 20-F (No. 001-15236),
                    filed June 30, 2003).

        4.4         Form of Deposit Agreement, dated as of September 14, 2001,
                    among Advantest Corporation, JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly
                    known as Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as
                    depositary, and all holders from time to time of American
                    Depositary Receipts issued thereunder, including the form of
                    American Depositary Receipt attached thereto as Exhibit A
                    (incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit A to the
                    Registrant's Registration Statement on Form F-6
                    (Registration No. 333-13886)).

       4.5*         Rules of the Advantest Corporation Incentive Stock Option
                    Plan 2003.

        5*          Opinion of Nishimura & Partners regarding the legality of
                    securities being offered hereby.

       23.1*        Consent of KPMG, independent accountants.

       23.2*        Consent of Nishimura & Partners (contained in Exhibit 5).

       24.1*        Powers of Attorney (included on signature page to this
                    Registration Statement).

--------------------------
* Filed herewith.


<PAGE>
[{"type": "S-8", "sequence": "1", "filename": "fs8_082903.txt", "description": "REGISTRATION STATEMENT", "secsgml_size_bytes": 20909}]
{"company-data": {"conformed-name": "ADVANTEST CORP", "cik": "0001158838", "assigned-sic": "3663", "irs-number": "000000000"}, "filing-values": {"form-type": "S-8", "act": "33", "file-number": "333-108385", "film-number": "03874348"}, "business-address": {"street1": "SHINJUKU NS BUILDING 4-1", "street2": "NISHI SHINJUKU 2 CHOME", "city": "SHINJUKU TOKYO JAPAN", "state": "M0", "zip": "00000"}, "mail-address": {"street1": "SHINJUKU NS BLDG 2-4-1", "street2": "NISHI SHINJUKU", "city": "SHINJUKU TOKYO JAPAN", "state": "M0", "zip": "00000"}}
As filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on August 29, 2003
                                              Registration No. 333-_________

                       SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
                             Washington, D.C. 20549

                            ________________________

                                    FORM S-8
                          REGISTRATION STATEMENT UNDER
                           THE SECURITIES ACT OF 1933

                            ________________________

                           KABUSHIKI KAISHA ADVANTEST
             (Exact name of Registrant as specified in its charter)

                              ADVANTEST CORPORATION
                 (Translation of Registrant's name into English)

              Japan                                  Not Applicable
   (State or other jurisdiction of                 (I.R.S. Employer
   incorporation or organization)                  Identification No.)

                              Shinjuku-NS Building
                           4-1 Nishi-Shinjuku 2-chome
                           Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo 163-0880
                                      Japan
              (Address of Registrant's Principal Executive Offices)

           THE ADVANTEST CORPORATION INCENTIVE STOCK OPTION PLAN 2003
                            (Full title of the plan)
                            ________________________

                   Advantest America Corporation (Holding Co.)
                              3201 Scott Boulevard
                          Santa Clara, California 95054
                         Attention: Corporate Secretary
                                 (408) 988-7700
            (Name, address and telephone number of agent for service)

                                 With a copy to:

                                 Masahisa Ikeda
                               Shearman & Sterling
                             Fukoku Seimei Building
                            2-2 Uchisaiwaicho 2-chome
                           Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100-0011
                                      Japan
                                 81-3-5251-1601
CALCULATION OF REGISTRATION FEE
===================================================================================================================
         Title of Securities to be            Amount to be    Proposed Maximum   Proposed Maximum     Amount of
                 Registered                  Registered (2)  Offering Price per Aggregate Offering Registration Fee
                                                                  Share (3)            Price
 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Common Stock of Registrant (1)                 139,000         $43.94          $6,107,660          $494.11
 ===================================================================================================================
(1)  Each share of the Registrant's common stock (the "Common Stock") issuable
     in the United States pursuant to the Rules of the Advantest Corporation
     Incentive Stock Option Plan 2003 (the "Plan") will be represented by four
     (4) American Depositary Shares ("ADSs") on deposit with JPMorgan Chase Bank
     (formerly known as Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as
     depositary bank (the "Depositary"). Each ADS will be evidenced by one (1)
     American Depositary Receipt issued by the Depositary. A separate
     Registration Statement on Form F-6 (Registration No. 333-13886) was filed
     with the Securities and Exchange Commission (the "Commission") on September
     5, 2001 for the registration of ADSs issuable upon deposit of shares of
     Common Stock.

(2)  Pursuant to Rule 416(c) under the Securities Act of 1933, as amended (the
     "Securities Act"), there is also being registered such number of shares of
     Common Stock that may become available for issuance under the Plan in the
     event of certain changes in the outstanding shares of Common Stock,
     including reorganizations, mergers, recapitalizations, restructurings,
     stock dividends, stock splits, reverse stock splits and reclassifications.

(3)  Estimated in accordance with Rule 457(h) under the Securities Act solely
     for the purpose of determining the registration fee. The exercise price is
     fixed in Japanese Yen. For purposes of calculating the filing fee, the
     exercise price has been converted to U.S. Dollars using the noon buying
     rate in New York, New York for cable transfers in Yen as certified for
     customs purposes by the Federal Reserve Bank on August 28, 2003.

                                       2
PART I

              INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE SECTION 10(a) PROSPECTUS

          The documents containing the information specified in Part I, Items 1
and 2, will be delivered to employees in accordance with the "Note" to Part I of
Form S-8 and Rule 428 of the Securities Act.

                                       3
PART II

               INFORMATION REQUIRED IN THE REGISTRATION STATEMENT

Item 3.  Incorporation of Documents by Reference.

          The following documents filed with the Commission are incorporated by
reference as of their respective dates into this Registration Statement and
shall be deemed a part hereof:

          (i)  the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 20-F filed with the
               Commission on June 30, 2003;

          (ii) the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               August 29, 2003;

          (iii) the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               July 25, 2003;

          (iv) the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               June 30, 2003;

          (v)  the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               May 20, 2003;

          (vi) the Registrant's Report on Form 6-K filed with the Commission on
               April 25, 2003; and

         (vii) the Registrant's Registration Statement on Form 20-F filed with
               the Commission on September 4, 2001, which includes a description
               of the Common Stock (as represented by American Depositary
               Shares) of the Registrant.

          All documents filed by the Registrant pursuant to Sections 13(a),
13(c), 14 and 15(d) of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended (the
"Exchange Act"), subsequent to the date of the filing hereof and prior to the
filing of a post-effective amendment to this Registration Statement which
indicates that all securities offered have been sold or which deregisters all
securities then remaining unsold shall be deemed to be incorporated by reference
in this Registration Statement and to be a part hereof from the date of filing
of such documents.

          Any statement contained in a document incorporated or deemed
incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement shall be deemed to be
modified or superseded for purposes of this Registration Statement to the extent
that a statement contained herein or in any other subsequently filed document
which also is or is deemed to be incorporated by reference herein modifies or
supersedes such statement. Any such statement so modified or superseded

                                       4
shall not be deemed, except as so modified or superseded, to constitute a part
of this Registration Statement.

Item 4.  Description of Securities.

          Not applicable.

Item 5.  Interests of Named Experts and Counsel.

          Not applicable.

                                       5
Item 6.  Indemnification of Directors and Officers.

          Articles 254 and 280 of the Commercial Code of Japan (the "Commercial
Code") make the provisions of Section 10, Chapter 2, Book III of the Civil Code
of Japan applicable to the relationships between the Registrant and its
directors and corporate auditors, respectively. Section 10, among other things,
provides in effect that:

               (1)  Any director or corporate auditor of a company may demand
                    advance payment of expenses which are considered necessary
                    for the management of the affairs of such company entrusted
                    to such director or corporate auditor;

               (2)  If a director or corporate auditor of a company has defrayed
                    any expenses which are considered necessary for the
                    management of the affairs of such company entrusted to such
                    director or corporate auditor, the director or corporate
                    auditor may demand reimbursement therefore and interest
                    thereon after the date of payment from the company;

               (3)  If a director or corporate auditor has assumed an obligation
                    necessary for the management of affairs entrusted to such
                    director or corporate auditor, the director or corporate
                    auditor may require the company to perform it in such
                    director's or corporate auditor's place or, if it is not
                    due, to furnish adequate security; and

               (4)  If a director or corporate auditor, without any fault on
                    such director's or corporate auditor's part, sustains damage
                    through the management of the affairs entrusted to such
                    director or corporate auditor, the director or corporate
                    auditor may demand compensation therefore from the company.

          Under Article 279-2 of the Commercial Code, a company may not refuse a
demand from a corporate auditor referred to in subparagraphs (1) through (3)
above unless the company establishes that the relevant expense or obligation was
or is not necessary for the performance of the corporate auditor's duties.

          The Registrant maintains a directors' insurance policy to insure its
directors and corporate auditors against liability for actions or omissions
occurring in their capacity as director or corporate auditor, subject to certain
exclusions and limitations.

Item 7.  Exemption from Registration Claimed.

          Not applicable.

Item 8.  Exhibits.

          See Exhibit list on page 12 of this Registration Statement.

                                       6
Item 9.  Undertakings.

          (a)  The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes:

               (1)  To file, during any period in which offers or sales are
                    being made, a post-effective amendment to this Registration
                    Statement:

                    (i)  To include any prospectus required by Section 10(a)(3)
                         of the Securities Act;

                    (ii) To reflect in the prospectus any facts or events
                         arising after the effective date of this Registration
                         Statement (or the most recent post-effective amendment
                         thereof) which, individually or in the aggregate,
                         represent a fundamental change in the information set
                         forth in the Registration Statement; and

                   (iii) To include any material information with respect to
                         the plan of distribution not previously disclosed in
                         this Registration Statement or any material change to
                         such information in this Registration Statement;

                    Provided, however, that paragraphs (a)(1)(i) and (a)(1)(ii)
                    of this section do not apply if the information required to
                    be in a post-effective amendment by those paragraphs is
                    contained in periodic reports filed with or furnished to the
                    Commission by the Registrant pursuant to Section 13 or 15(d)
                    of the Exchange Act that are incorporated by reference into
                    this Registration Statement;

               (2)  That, for the purpose of determining any liability under the
                    Securities Act, each such post-effective amendment shall be
                    deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the
                    securities offered therein, and the offering of such
                    securities at that time shall be deemed to be the initial
                    bona fide offering thereof; and

               (3)  To remove from registration by means of a post-effective
                    amendment any of the securities being registered which
                    remain unsold at the termination of the offering.

          (b) The undersigned Registrant hereby undertakes that, for purposes of
determining any liability under the Securities Act, each filing of the
Registrant's annual report pursuant to Section 13(a) or Section 15(d) of the
Exchange Act that is incorporated by reference in this Registration Statement
shall be deemed to be a new registration statement relating to the securities
offered therein, and the offering of such securities at that time shall be
deemed to be the initial bona fide offering thereof.

          (c) Insofar as indemnification for liabilities arising under the
Securities Act may be permitted to directors, officers and controlling persons
of the Registrant pursuant to the foregoing provisions, or otherwise, the
Registrant has been advised that in the opinion of the

                                       7
Commission such indemnification is against public policy as expressed in the
Securities Act and is, therefore, unenforceable. In the event that a claim for
indemnification against such liabilities (other than the payment by the
Registrant of expenses incurred or paid by a director, officer or controlling
person of the Registrant in the successful defense of any action, suit or
proceeding) is asserted by such director, officer or controlling person in
connection with the securities being registered, the Registrant will, unless in
the opinion of its counsel the matter has been settled by controlling precedent,
submit to a court of appropriate jurisdiction the question of whether such
indemnification by it is against public policy as expressed in the Securities
Act and will be governed by the final adjudication of such issue.

                                       8
SIGNATURES

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, the Registrant
certifies that it has reasonable grounds to believe that it meets all of the
requirements for filing on Form S-8 and has duly caused this Registration
Statement to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned, thereunto duly
authorized, in Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo of Japan on this 29 day of August, 2003.

                                            Advantest Corporation

                                            By: /s/ Hitoshi Owada
                                                -------------------------------
                                                Name:  Hitoshi Owada
                                                Title: Director and Managing
                                                       Executive Officer

                                       9
SPECIAL POWER OF ATTORNEY

          KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS, that each of the undersigned
constitutes and appoints Hitoshi Owada as his true and lawful attorney-in-fact
and agent with full powers of substitution and resubstitution, for him and in
his name, place and stead, in any and all capacities, to sign any and all
amendments (including post-effective amendments) to this Registration Statement,
and registration statements filed pursuant to Rule 462 under the Securities Act,
and to file the same with all exhibits thereto, and all documents in connection
therewith, with the Commission, granting such attorney-in-fact and agent, full
power and authority to do and perform each and every act and thing requisite and
necessary to be done in and about the premises, as fully and to all intents and
purposes as he might or could do in person, hereby ratifying and confirming all
that such attorney-in-fact and agent may lawfully do or cause to be done by
virtue hereof.

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act, this Registration
Statement has been signed below by the following persons in the indicated
capacities on August 29, 2003.

Signature                                    Capacity

/s/ Hiroshi Oura
-----------------------
Hiroshi Oura                        Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive
                                    Officer

/s/ Shinpei Takeshita
-----------------------
Shinpei Takeshita                   Vice Chairman of the Board

/s/ Toshio Maruyama
-----------------------
Toshio Maruyama                     Representative Board Director, President
                                    and Chief Operating Officer

/s/ Kiyoshi Miyasaka
-----------------------
Kiyoshi Miyasaka                    Director and Senior Executive Officer

/s/ Junji Nishiura
-----------------------
Junji Nishiura                      Director and Senior Executive Officer

/s/ Hiroji Agata
-----------------------
Hiroji Agata                        Director and Senior Executive Officer

/s/ Hitoshi Owada
-----------------------
Hitoshi Owada                       Director and Managing Executive Officer

                                       10
SIGNATURE OF AUTHORIZED REPRESENTATIVE OF THE REGISTRANT

          Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Act of 1933, as
amended, the undersigned, the duly authorized representative in the United
States of Advantest Corporation has signed this Registration Statement or
amendment thereto in Santa Clara, California, on August 29, 2003.

                                Advantest America Corporation (Holding Co.)

                                By: /s/ Keith Hardwick
                                    --------------------------
                                    Name: Keith Hardwick
                                    Title: Corporate Secretary

                                       11
EXHIBIT INDEX

      Exhibit
      Number                         Description

        4.1         Amended and Restated Articles of Incorporation of the
                    Registrant (English Translation) (incorporated by reference
                    herein to the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 20-F (No.
                    001-15236), filed June 30, 2003).

        4.2         Regulations of the Board of Directors of the Registrant
                    (English Translation) (incorporated by reference herein to
                    the Registrant's Annual Report on Form 20-F (No. 001-15236),
                    filed June 30, 2003).

        4.3         Share Handling Regulations of the Registrant (English
                    Translation) (incorporated by reference herein to the
                    Registrant's Annual Report on Form 20-F (No. 001-15236),
                    filed June 30, 2003).

        4.4         Form of Deposit Agreement, dated as of September 14, 2001,
                    among Advantest Corporation, JPMorgan Chase Bank (formerly
                    known as Morgan Guaranty Trust Company of New York), as
                    depositary, and all holders from time to time of American
                    Depositary Receipts issued thereunder, including the form of
                    American Depositary Receipt attached thereto as Exhibit A
                    (incorporated by reference herein to Exhibit A to the
                    Registrant's Registration Statement on Form F-6
                    (Registration No. 333-13886)).

       4.5*         Rules of the Advantest Corporation Incentive Stock Option
                    Plan 2003.

        5*          Opinion of Nishimura & Partners regarding the legality of
                    securities being offered hereby.

       23.1*        Consent of KPMG, independent accountants.

       23.2*        Consent of Nishimura & Partners (contained in Exhibit 5).

       24.1*        Powers of Attorney (included on signature page to this
                    Registration Statement).

--------------------------
* Filed herewith.