Tokyo, Japan - Oct 18, 2002 - Nikon Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary located in Belmont, California, Nikon Precision Inc. ("Nikon") have filed a patent infringement action against ASML Netherlands B.V., a Dutch corporation and ASM Lithography, Inc., a U.S. company ("ASML") in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California, asserting infringement of eight Nikon patents relating to primary structures in stepper and scanner machines. Nikon Corporation and Nikon Precision Inc. are seeking an injunction and money damages.

Nikon's corporate objective is to provide the leading products to customers in the semiconductor industry through fair competition in the marketplace. Such fair competition is based on the premise that each competitor respects the intellectual property rights of the other competitors. Nikon filed the above patent infringement lawsuit against ASML since in Nikon's opinion, ASML did not practice in this fashion.

Nikon Corporation and Nikon Precision Inc. have already filed complaints against ASML in the U.S. International Trade Commission and in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California in December last year. To date, complaints have been filed by Nikon Corporation in the Tokyo District Court and in the Seoul District Court, too. Nikon remains confident in the outcome of the litigations and expects that fair competition will be restored to the marketplace.

For inquiry in Japan, please contact Toshiyuki Masai or Yasuhiro Katagiri, Corporate Communications Department, Nikon Corporation, Tokyo (Phone 03-3216-1032). For inquiry in the United States, please contact Frank D. Masciocchi, Vice President, Sales and Marketing, Nikon Precision Inc., Belmont, California (Phone 650-508-4618).
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Contacts:
Toshiyuki Masai or Yasuhiro Katagiri
Corporate Communications Department
Nikon Corporation, Tokyo
03-3216-1032

Frank D. Masciocchi
Vice President, Sales and Marketing
Nikon Precision Inc.
Belmont, California
(650) 508-4618