FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Feb 22, 2002

	Listed Stock Name:	Eisai Co., Ltd.
	President & CEO:	Mr. Haruo Naito
	Head Office Location:	4-6-10 Koishikawa Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo
	Securities Code:	4523
	Listed Locations:	First Sections of the Tokyo Stock Exchange & the Osaka Securities Exchange
	Inquiries:	Mr. Nobuo Deguchi Corporate Officer Public Relations & Legal Affairs Phone 81-3-3817-5190

Eisai Co. Ltd. announces that at the Board of Directors' Meeting held on February 22, 2002 approved the acquisition of own shares in accordance with article 3 of the former "Law for Special Exceptions Concerning the Retirement of Stock" applied under Paragraph 4 of Article 3 of Supplementary Provisions to the Law Concerning a Partial Amendment to the Japanese Commercial Code (Law. No. 79, 2001).

I .	Reason for the Share Acquisition
	Through the acquisition and holding of its own shares the Company will expand its flexibility with respect to capital policy as well as raise capital efficiency and better reward shareholders.
II .	Contents of the Acquisition
	(1) Share Type Acquisition	Common Stock
	(2) Number of Shares to be Acquired	5 million shares (maximum) (1.69% of total issued shares)
	(3) Total Value of Shares to be Acquired	18 billion (maximum)

(Reference)

1 .	Total number of shares that can be retired through acquisition based on the Company's Articles of Incorporation:		29 million
2 .	Cumulative total of shares acquired up to now since the base date stipulated in the Company's Articles of Incorporation:		0