The JAERI light-ion microbeam apparatus for high-resolution ion beam analysis was constructed and installed on a beam line of 3 MV single-ended electrostatic accelerator with a high voltage stability of +/- 1 x 10(-5). In a performance test of the apparatus, the spot size of 0.4 x 0.4 mu m(2) in FWHM has been achieved so far by using 2 MeV helium ion beam with a target beam current of 77 pA. The light-ion microbeam apparatus and the accelerator system and the beam size measurement using 2 MeV helium ions is described. The ion beam optical design for submicron microbeam is also discussed.