A symbol generation part serially inputs a data string of quantization data. If quantization data of non-zero coefficient is inputted, respective information on an absolute value, a zero run and a sign of the non-zero coefficient are stored in registers. When quantization data of the next non-zero coefficient is inputted, the respective information on the absolute value, the zero run and the sign stored in the registers are updated. At that time, the contents of the registers which have been stored immediately before the input are outputted as symbol data of the immediately preceding non-zero coefficient.