History

After returning home from the war in 1945, Mr. Kihachiro Onitsuka establishes ONITSUKA Shokai in Kobe in 1949. In the same year, the company is reorganized as ONITSUKA Co., Ltd. with two employees and a capitalization of 300,000 yen.

Later, the company name is changed to ASICS, an acronym for the Latin expression "Anima Sana In Corpore Sano" ("You should pray for a healthy mind in a healthy body"), a quote from the Roman satirist Juvenal. The proverb is suggested to Mr. Onitsuka by a wartime friend offering business advice, Mr. Kohei Hori, who at the time is Director of Health and Physical Education at the Hyogo Prefecture Board of Education. The words make a deep impression on Mr. Onitsuka, inspiring his dedication to making athletic shoes with the aim of nurturing healthy young people through sports.

In 1949, Mitsuji Teranishi is appointed Representative Director of Teranishi Genzo Trading Company, the forerunner of GTO Co., Ltd.

Teranishi Genzo Trading Company is established in 1948 in Yao City, Osaka Prefecture. In 1895, Jisaburo Teranishi, the founding father of GTO Co., Ltd., encourages local people to make hand-combed nets for hammocks as a side business, and begins sales of their products. Starting with nets for hammocks and sports use, the business expands into mountaineering goods, fishing wear, and skiwear.

A Basketball shoe is the first sports athletic shoe made by ONITSUKA Co., Ltd.

At the time, basketball shoes are thought to be the most difficult athletic shoe to manufacture, but Mr. Onitsuka feels that "if he can overcome a high hurdle at the start, he will be able to continue overcoming other hurdles as well".
Mr. Onitsuka gives prototypes of his shoes to players at one of the leading basketball powerhouses of the day, where the shoes are repeatedly tested and refined, until the first model is released in the spring of 1950.

The model released in 1950 reflects gradual improvements to achieve the stopping, turning, and dashing performance required for basketball. Mr. Onitsuka has an epiphany at the sight of vinegared octopus on his dinner table, an episode that inspires the development of his suction cup Basketball shoes.

By deepening the dimples over the entire sole to resemble octopus suction cups, both starting and stopping performance are improved. The first prototype generates too much stopping power, but improvements are made based on testing by actual players.

In 1952, Kazuma Usui establishes Usui Meriyasu Works, the forerunner of JELENK Co., Ltd., in Takefu City, Fukui Prefecture (now part of Echizen City).

The company begins as a manufacturer of sportswear and baseball stockings, and sells its products under the KU UNION brand mainly to sporting goods wholesalers in Tokyo and Osaka.
Using the high level of technology that earned the business a 60% market share nationwide in baseball stockings, it develops into an international sportswear manufacturer.

ONITSUKA Marathon TABI is released, based on the traditional indoor "tabi" footwear that is still generally worn at sports meets in Japan at the time. The Marathon Tabi is equipped with features required for marathon running, including rubber soles and uppers that feature durable material and a hanging band.

The same year, the TIGER mark MARUP shoe, designed specifically for marathon relay races, is released.
The shoe is suited to the marathon running style, which demands speed and endurance. The shoe is designed to reduce fatigue during long-distance runs. The upper is made from vinylon, a material that is three times stronger than cotton and prevents sweating in the feet, and the shoe includes a heel sponge.

After that, genuine leather MARUP for racing is released in 1958. The shoe features a lightweight rubber sponge sole with dramatically improved flexibility and shock-absorbing properties. The name MARUP stands for Marathon Up shoes. From this point forward, the MARUP series adopts a variety of advanced materials, all the way to the year 1981, when the successor SORTIE series is released.

The durable, water-resistant, lightweight material Nylon is used in shoes for the first time.

Starting with AFTER BOOTS, nylon is actively adopted in shoes for various activities such as golf (in 1955), mountaineering, and basketball.

A completely new type of shoe, which uses nylon in the upper, is released.

The metal eyelets are not placed on the outside but rather hidden to prevent injuries during competitions. The ventilation holes in the toe area are another notable feature. In addition, the rolled design of the sole offers superior traction and slip prevention while also providing durability. This is the archetype of the modern wrestling shoe.

This wrestling shoe will go on to leave its mark around the world as one of the signature ASICS athletic shoes.

It is the first shoe to adopt the synthetic rubber sponge sole material that maintains elasticity while preventing the sole from absorbing water. Compared to the rubber-soled shoes of the day, it is dramatically lighter with enhanced shock absorption.

Designed for sprinting and protection of the muscles used for jumping, this training shoe features high-quality leather over the entire surface, with a sponge material added underneath the tongue to cushion the foot along the upper. The rubber sponge, which is a lightweight material with outstanding cushioning and durability, is also adopted by the MARUP series and becomes the standard material used for most current athletic shoes. The shoe is provided to the Japanese national team.

At the time, marathon runners expect to develop blisters on their feet as a matter of course. Defeating this preconceived notion is the inspiration behind the attempt to develop blister-proof shoes.

Blisters are caused by the frictional heat generated by the impact of the foot on the ground. Inspired by the example of water-cooled automobile engines, water-filled soles are tried, but the experiment produces heavy shoes and soggy feet and is declared a failure. Next, inspired by the example of air-cooled motorcycle engines, MAGIC RUNNER shoes are created, incorporating an air vent system that circulates air in the shoe. Holes are opened in the toes and sides of the shoe, making it possible to pump out heat when the athlete's foot hits the ground using the bellows principle. This approach succeeds in keeping blisters to a minimum. The sole is curved deeply at the arch to ensure air is smoothly pumped in and out.

Kenji Kimihara (winner of the silver medal in the International Marathon in 1968) worn The Magic Runner shoe and and becomes a long-running product beloved by marathon runners.

In addition to marathon and wrestling shoes, several other categories of sports athletic shoes are developed, including gymnastics shoes, soccer cleats, fencing shoes, and volleyball shoes, with many athletes enthusiastically adopting them. ONITSUKA marathon shoes are also successfully worn by the UK's Basil Heatley (winner of the silver medal in the International Marathon in 1964) and Japan's Kokichi Tsuburaya (winner of the bronze medal in the International Marathon in 1964).

ONITSUKA launches a volleyball shoe perfect for the international six-a-side format in 1958.

The shoe is named ROTATION 6 after the all-player attack style of play in which the six players rotate positions. The shoe is designed with a heel sponge to promote jumping ability and cushioning to reduce fatigue for long-time play.
At the same time, the company also launches the ROTATION 9 shoe for the nine-a-side format.

Clarino synthetic leather is used in athletic shoes for the first time.

Clarino, which has outstanding water resistance, had been difficult to develop into athletic shoes due to its stiffness. However, improvements were made allowing it to be used in many product categories including marathon shoes, training shoes, and golf shoes.

The Mexico line appear on products.

ONITSUKA traditionally announces a new design for every four years. In 1966, after an in-house design competition, the Mexico line (the current ASICS stripes) are introduced. Later this design will come to represent ONITSUKA TIGER, ASICSTIGER, and ASICS shoes.

The RUNSPARK series is released in 1966, after fixed-pin versions are offered to some track and field atheletes in 1964.

The series includes the RUNSPARK DS-SP, Japan's first track and field spike with interchangeable pins.
At this time, track and field events take place on dirt tracks, and since the track conditions change according to the weather, the athletes using fixed-pin spikes have to file and sharpen their own pins.
The revolutionary RUNSPARK DS-SP comes with three different interchangeable pin lengths, which allows adaptation to long- and short-distance events and jumping and throwing events without being affected by the weather.

In 1954, nylon material starts being used in the uppers of athletic shoes, but the nylon is glued to the rubber and then the canvas cloth is glued on the back. In the second half of 1960, with mesh material yet to be developed, the world's first triple-layer material debuts, consisting of Nylon twill, Polyurethane foam, and Nylon tricot. It gives shoes outstanding breathability and a more pleasing fit on the foot.

This is a training shoe specifically for the US market.

The CORTEZ training shoe, later renamed the TIGER CORSAIR, is introduced on the United States market, where there is demand for a shoe with better cushioning. Whereas traditionally training shoes used a two-layer structure made up of an outsole sponge and heel wedge, the CORTEZ is notable for being the first model to use a three-layer structure, with a "sand sponge" added to increase the cushioning.

The ROTATION 72 volleyball shoe is released, featuring a more breathable mesh material in the upper, replacing the canvas upper used in traditional volleyball shoes. Japanese athletes wear the shoe to great success.

The first shoe in the INJECTOR series is produced using the direct Injection method.

It is a spike shoe developed to perform on hard ground. The name INJECTOR is intended to symbolize a shoe made using the latest manufacturing technology at the time. Later it is also adopted for soccer and baseball cleats.

The first Ski Jump shoe is released. Japanese athletes wear the shoe to great success.

The first Baseball cleat shoes are released.

The innovative design features a synthetic resin sole with interchangeable spikes.

Onitsuka releases the OHBORI marathon shoe, its first product for the overseas market to adopt the EVA midsole.

EVA is lighter than the conventional rubber sponge material and offers superior impact cushioning. It is later adopted by many athletic shoes all over the world.
The name OHBORI comes from Ohori Park in Fukuoka prefecture.

In 1974, the PAW line of track and field sportswear is released.

Together with the TIGER PAW spike shoe released the same year, this marks the initial effort aiming for for total brand development by ONITSUKA. The name PAW is intended to evoke "the claws of a tiger".

A junior baseball shoe is released.

It features a rubber multi-stud suitable for hard ground.

ONITSUKA Co., Ltd. establishes ONITSUKA TIGER GmbH, a local subsidiary in Dusseldorf in the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) as its European base.

Lasse Virén (gold medalist in both the International 5,000 and 10,000 meter events in 1976) wears ONITSUKA track and field spikes to great success.

The three companies ONITSUKA Co., Ltd., GTO Co., Ltd., and JELENK Co., Ltd. merge as equals to form "ASICS Corporation", a general sporting goods company.

The origin of the company name, ASICS, is the initial letters of the phrase "Anima Sana In Corpore Sano" by the ancient Roman satirist Juvenal. It means "(If you pray to God, you should pray for) a sound mind in a sound body." The phrase itself is the company philosophy, and the sentiment it expresses is captured in the very name of the company.

"Sport: the Universal Language" is established as the corporate slogan of ASICS.
The ASICS and ASICS TIGER brands are introduced and the ASICS promotional logo is created.

In the late 1970s, jogging, as an aerobic and healthy activity becomes a craze and ASICS releases its running shoes.

The first models are the MONTREAL II road shoes and the ENDURO cross-country shoes. This marks ASICS entry into the wider running shoe market, as differentiated from conventional training shoes.
It is the point at which ASICS establishes itself as a performance running brand in the North American market.

ROTE volleyball wear and volleyball shoes are released at the same time as part of a total brand campaign.

The company formed a tie-up with US company RAWLINGS and started to release products in Japan.

SKYSENSOR/X-CALIBER a running shoe line applying biomechanics in its product development is launched. The running shoe is the first to incorporate the EVA midsole and other cutting-edge features and is the lightest model on the market at the time.

ASICS Sports of America Inc. is renamed and ASICS Tiger Corporation is established in Irvine, California.

The first shoe in the SORTIE series, the successor to the MARUP line, is launched.

It is a special-purpose racing shoe that uses a foot mold (called a Last) specific to speed marathons. The midsole uses the super-lightweight EVA material and features more than 10 holes (Flex Holes) to reduce weight and improve flexibility. In order to boost grip performance, the outsole adopts the new variable elastic sucker-type design.
The name comes from the word "sortie" (an attack from a defensive position), evoking the image of rising to the challenge of creating an innovative marathon shoe. The SORTIE series remains the current ASICS marathon shoe product series.

This new and innovative lightweight model is the first basketball shoe to use the super-lightweight EVA material in the midsole. It becomes popular with athletes in search of a light weight shoe.

A basketball shoe that delivers an unprecedented fit thanks to its special-purpose foot mold, a Last that is developed by measuring the feet of the top players in Japan. The sole features a pattern designed to grip the surface of the court.

Launch of a running shoe with a stabilizer pillar structure to prevent overpronation. It is released under the name SKYSENSOR GT in Japan and X-CALIBER GT overseas.

The shoe features a structure to enhance the effectiveness of shoelace tightening, air flex holes to enhance impact cushioning and flexibility, and other features that establish it as the foundation for the design of today's running shoes.

Release of walking shoes based on the concept of good health through "Walking". The shoes are leather but feature the comfort of an athletic shoe.

Initially only the casual PEDALA style is released, but later other walking shoes are added to fit a range of apparel, including the dressy WALLAGE style and sporty SALUTIS style shoes.

Release of the TARTHER SPS, employing a spring midsole structure with a sculpted midfoot area suitable for stride running, unlike the flat-bottomed soles of conventional jogging shoes.

It also marks the first use of the EVA compression molded midsole.
The TARTHER series is launched in 1983. Inspired by the concept of racing like a tiger, the name TARTHER is coined to evoke the words "Tiger" and "Racer".

A new head office building is completed on July 10 in Kobe Port Island, Kobe City, Hyogo Prefecture, and operations are relocated.

The new head office consists of eight floors above ground and one below and includes a dome. An atrium surrounded by a U-shaped building provides an ergonomic open space.
The head office building is an "Intelligent Building" equipped with the latest office automation (OA) systems and facilities in anticipation of rapid advances in IT and new media.
The new headquarters is used for international conferences and various sports association events, contributing to a better image of Kobe, the "Fashion City."

Release of the world's lightest marathon shoe, weighing 100 g ± 5 g (25.5 cm).

A marathon shoe designed specifically for top runners, featuring an upper using a new nylon rip-stop taffeta and a sole using RB Dulite.

ASICS Tiger Oceania Pty. Ltd. is established as a local subsidiary in Sydney, Australia.

The first shoe to use the silicone cushioning material
αGEL (Alpha Gel), which cushions the feet from impact.

The gel is used in two running shoe models, the GT-II and the FREAKS α. GEL continues to evolve and becomes one of the basic functional materials associated with ASICS.

On the tenth anniversary of its founding, ASICS adopts a new corporate identity. The slogan is changed from the previous "Sport: the Universal Language" to "Sports Technology for Active Lifestyles". At the same time, the ASICS logo typeface is changed from bold to a thinner font to refresh its image.

Rosa Mota (gold medalist in the International women's marathon in1988) wears our marathon shoes to great success in various competitions.

The Duosole is an outsole with a two-stage urethane resin design deployed in an synthetic suede fabric. The sole is light and remarkably flexible, with an excellent grip on the road surface. Launch of the Marathon SORTIE EX, the world's first shoe to adopt the Duosole.

The ASICS Research Institute of Sports Science, built for the purpose of carrying out research and development of sports gear, is completed in Kobe City.

The Institute is tasked with conducting more detailed and wider-ranging research into sports from a scientific standpoint. It is equipped with an all-weather athletic track with three different types of surface, two types of tennis court, a pool, an experimental gymnasium, an environmental laboratory that allows free control of temperature and humidity, a multi-purpose laboratory, a computer network system, a product laboratory, a sports medicine laboratory, and a training room.

At the 37th Regular General Meeting of Stockholders, Seiji Mihara is appointed President and Representative Director, and Kihachiro Onitsuka is appointed Chairman of the Board and Representative Director. The event marks the start of new leadership for ASICS.

A stylized letter 'a', the initial letter of ASICS, is adopted as a motif intended to express the idea of unlimited speed and the dynamism of sports. Its spiral structure evokes how the related businesses all rotate around the axis of ASICS core competence.

The direct injection process is used in domestic production. Representative products include the INJECTOR 2002 (1992), INJECTOR LUGO (1991), and INJECTOR CREMA (1989). The products become longtime best sellers.

Release of the GEL-SPOTLYTE basketball shoe, which is developed around the concepts of light weight for running and strong impact cushioning for players who place importance on speed.

The shoe is characterized by bold thinking and unique design features that overturn the existing concept of a basketball shoe, such as getting rid of the rubber cup sole at the heel to save weight.

Yuko Arimori (silver medalist in the International women's marathon in 1992) wears our marathon shoes to great success in various competitions.

Whereas conventional baseball cleats generally had three teeth each on the front and the heel, the newly developed cleat features the PENTA CLAW (five-claw) design on the front of the foot.

The model becomes the forerunner of current shoes with multi-toothed metal fittings. Later, other designs are announced, including the SPIDER CLAW (eight-claw) and DIGX CLAW.

Release of the first model in the GEL-KAYANO series.

It is a running shoe developed with the goal of comfort and protection in order to allow overpronating runners to comfortably cover long distances. This is a longtime best seller. The source of the name "KAYANO" is the shoe's designer/developer, Mr. Toshikazu Kayano.

Release of the first model in the GT-2000 series.

It is a running shoe developed with the goal of comfort and protection in order to allow overpronators to comfortably cover long distances. The design is focused more on speed than the GEL-KAYANO series, and is therefore lighter. Like the GEL-KAYANO series, this is a longtime best seller.

ASICS Europe B.V. is established in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, as an overall controlling company for the many bases that are established in Europe.

Johan Olav Koss of Norway (gold medalist in the International 1500, 5000, and 10,000 meter events in 1994) wears our speed skating suit to great success.

Representative Director and Vice-President Yoshiyuki Takahashi is appointed as the new president. He begins by initiating a reconstruction based on "looking outward, looking upward, and looking forward".

This sprint spike is developed based on the concept of "Zero Loss Power."

A notable point of the design is the lack of shoelaces—the shoes are held to the foot with a three-point supporting belt. It is an innovative sprint spike with state-of-the-art technology, including a Kevlar twill weave (carbon fiber) in the upper to provide enhanced forefoot stability, while in the sole, the one-piece plate and sculpted heel counter deliver high rigidity to prevent twisting and distortion of the shoe.

This basketball shoe is designed especially for student players seeking breathability while playing.

The upper features a Russell mesh, and the sole is equipped with a "magic ventilation system" with ventilation holes through the outsole and midsole. Later, the shoe was made lighter, and its lightness and breathability made it popular with junior and high school players. The "GELBURST 20th" model was released in 2016 in celebration of the shoe's 20th anniversary. The product name BURST evokes the idea of "bursting out in a sweat."

A kids' shoe based on the concept of "supporting healthy growth of young feet".

The shoe is designed based on studies of children's footprints and gait patterns at the "Institute of Sports Science". The product name refers to "SUKU²(SUKU-SUKU)", a Japanese expression meaning "to grow up quickly".

SpEVA is a new midsole material with 20% more resilience than its predecessor EVA as well as better cushioning of impacts. It is adopted in a number of product categories, notably the TARTHER SPEVA CF running shoe.

Notable features include the rubber ball-like structure and special components that ease the shock of landing and convert the absorbed energy into recoil force. The new material changes the repulsion force to a driving force to increase the speed of the runner.

Release of the GEL-NIMBUS, a shoe aimed at neutral runner to supinators, expanding the product lineup of performance running shoes.

The shoe is substantially different from the GEL-KAYANO and GT-2000 series, featuring functions to prevent overpronation, wider soles, and a thick-soled midsole for enhanced cushioning. This is a longtime best seller.
The name NIMBUS is derived from the term "cumulonimbus cloud," evoking properties of lightness and softness.

Naoko Takahashi (gold medalist in the International women's marathon in the 2000) wears our Marathon SORTIE JAPAN to great success in various competitions.

Kiyomi Wada is appointed President and Representative Director. Under the banner of "Revolution and Change," he sets about increasing the speed of reforms. The new company slogan is set to "Sport: the Universal Language."

Release of the GEL-KAYANO VII, incorporating IGS (Impact Guidance System).

IGS is a design philosophy that seeks to deploy an optimal combination of functions needed for running movements, such as cushioning, stability, flexibility, breathability, light weight, grip performance, durability, and fit, based on scientific analyses by the ASICS Research Institute of Sports Science. Products are authorized to use the IGS logo only after their capabilities are demonstrated at the Research Institute of Sports Science and shown to be superior to the previous shoe.

Models such as the MEXICO66, ULTIMATE81, and NIPPON60 are re-released under the ONITSUKA TIGER brand. The revival marks the start of a global expansion into the sports style market.

Following the shoes, a full lineup of ONITSUKA TIGER branded apparel and accessories are rolled out.

Grand opening of the flagship ONITSUKA TIGER Tokyo store, ASICS first directly-managed storefront. After that, stores open one after another in Paris, London, Berlin, Amsterdam, and other cities.

Italy's Stefano Baldini (gold medalist in the International men's marathon in 2004) and Japan's Mizuki Noguchi (gold medalist in the International women's marathon in 2004) wear our marathon shoes to great success in various competitions.

Debut of new Solyte material, which increases impact cushioning by about 20% while being about half the weight of the conventional EVA material. It is adopted in a number of product categories, notably the GEL-KAYANO XII running shoe.

It achieves significant weight reduction through the high-expansion foaming of a tough resin with excellent impact cushioning that is also used in car bumpers.

After about three years of development effort, the next-generation running shoe is released.

In running, impact cushioning and stability are said to conflict with each other, but in this case a new sole construction is able to raise both features to the next level.
For lighter weight, the midsole adopts the Solyte material, which is lighter than EVA.

Opening of the ASICS Store Tokyo, a specialty running store. The store introduces the service to help customers select shoes that match the characteristics of their foot type and running style.

Later, more stores open outside of Japan, including London in 2008 and New York in 2009.

The ASICS brand mark is updated as part of ASICS medium-term management plan, the ASICS Challenge Plan.
The slogan is changed from the previous "Sport: the Universal Language" to "Sound Mind, Sound Body."

Motoi Oyama is appointed President and Representative Director, and Kiyomi Wada is appointed Chairman of the Board and Representative Director.

Two models are released in the new NIPPON MADE series branded as ONITSUKA TIGER. Every part of the shoe down to the tiniest detail is made in Japan.

Both models, the KEIRIN NIPPON and the ULTIMATE TRAINER, feature vintage-treated Japanese leather. The uppers and soles are finished with special processing to give them an air of luxury.

ASICS acquires all shares of Swedish outdoor gear company HAGLÖFS HOLDING AB, making it a consolidated subsidiary

Saori Yoshida (gold medalist in the International women's wrestling in 2004, 2008 and 2012) wears our wrestling shoes and singlets to great success in various competitions.

The ONITSUKA TIGER Omotesando flagship store opens in Shibuya, Tokyo, to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the revival of the Onitsuka Tiger brand. In terms of floor area, it is the largest of all directly-managed ONITSUKA TIGER stores in the world.

All baseball goods are integrated into the ASICS brand, starting with a new series of top-class products to be released in the 2013 season.

ASICS becomes the official supplier to the South Africa Rugby Union (SARU). As well as providing kit to the "Springboks", ASICS supplies kit and apparel to their associated national teams, including the men's and women’s 7-a-side teams and all age-group teams.
ASICS also signs an official sponsorship agreement with the Australian Rugby Association (ARU). ASICS provides apparel and footwear worn in official games and practices to the Australian national team (the "Wallabies") as well as the men's and women’s 7-a-side teams and under-20s teams.

Release of MetaRun, ASICS most innovative running shoe ever, featuring high technology developed over a period of three years.

Tasked with the mission of making the best running shoe possible, scientists at the ASICS Institute of Sport Science equip the shoe with five new technologies (four of which are patented). The goal is to maximize all four core long-distance running features: light weight, stability, fit, and cushioning.

ASICSTIGER brand is re-issued and a full product lineup is rolled out to meet the expanding "sports lifestyle" market demand.

ASICS launches the FLAME SERIES, a line of footwear designed around the concept of "connection". The new series features 19 products across six key sports—track & field, tennis, rugby, hockey, volleyball, and wrestling.
The "connection" concept is meant to include various meanings such as connecting the world, connecting people", connecting mind with body, and connecting past with future. The entire upper is designed to visually evoke the word, action, and behavior of connection.

ASICS acquires Fitness Keeper, Inc. in the USA as a wholly owned subsidiary. Fitness Keeper is the operator of Runkeeper, a global fitness tracking app.

ASICS unveils the fuzeX running shoe, which provides the ideal balance between performance and style. The fuzeX is designed to meet the needs of running enthusiasts who enjoy incorporating running and training into their lifestyle. It is equipped with fuzeGEL, a GEL sponge material with excellent impact cushioning that has been improved to deliver both light weight and responsive bounce.

ASICS latest cushioning technology, fuzeGEL, is a new lightweight combination of GEL technology infused foam that absorbs rearfoot shock, shifts it to the forefoot, and bounces back, providing lightweight adaptable comfort.

Launch of a running shoe equipped with FlyteFoam, the lightest midsole material in the history of ASICS.

FlyteFoam is approximately 55% lighter than ASICS traditional EVA midsole materials and has excellent durability and cushioning properties. This allows FlyteFoam to unleash runners’ speed by providing both light weight and cushioning.

Opening of ASICSTIGER Shinsaibashi, the first ASICSTIGER flagship store.

This is followed by the openings of ASICSTIGER Garosugil in Korea and ASICSTIGER Lafayette Soho in the USA.

The new logo features similar typography to the original corporate logo from 1977 (when ASICS was founded) and adds the word TIGER.

The new logo expresses the universal dynamism of the sports brand and conveys a power that paints a picture of an active lifestyle.

ASICS announces the opening of ONITSUKA TIGER Omotesando NIPPON MADE in Tokyo. The store is the world's first NIPPON MADE series retail store under the ONITSUKA TIGER brand.

ASICS opens ASICS REGENT STREET FLAGSHIP, its largest flagship store, on London's Regent Street.

It is the first company-owned store to carry a comprehensive selection of all four company brands: ASICS, ASICSTIGER, ONITSUKA TIGER, and HAGLÖFS.

Later, ASICS Harajuku Flagship opens in Tokyo as ASICS largest flagship store in Japan, and ASICS Fifth Avenue Flagship opens in New York as ASICS first flagship store in the United States.

The new branding message "I MOVE ME," which positions ASICS as a brand for today's athletes as well as the next generation, is announced.

Rooted in the brand's philosophy of "Sound mind in a sound body", the new message uses the ASICS brand to inspire people to be healthy and happy through movement of the body.

From 2021, Launched a new brand campaign"Sound mind, Sound body" with a brand message expressing the founding philosophy "Anima Sana In Corpore Sano".

Yasuhito Hirota is appointed COO and Representative Director in order to create a new structure to vigorously push forward the "ASICS Growth Plan (AGP) 2020" (the medium-term management plan which serves as the company-wide strategy) and to unify the Group in preparation for its next stage of growth. Motoi Oyama is appointed CEO and Representative Director.

To honor the positive personality and entrepreneurial spirit of ASICS founder Kihachiro Onitsuka, who supported the development of young minds and bodies through sports and encouraged people to take control of their bright futures in the same way a sunflower reaches for the sun, ASICS releases a line of "100th birthday commemorative models" on May 29th, his birthday. The product line is designed around a sunflower motif that was painted by Mr. Onitsuka during his lifetime. The new products include the ASICS GEL-QUANTUM360 KO100, the ASICSTIGER GEL-MAI KO100, and the ONITSUKA TIGER CORSAIR KO100, as well as a line of apparel.

Novak Djokovic (wins the international tennis tournament in 2018) wears our tennis shoes "GEL-RESOLUTION™ NOVAK" to great success in various tournaments.

The large-scale center, unprecedented in the world, will offer a swimming pool, running lanes, a training gym, and other facilities, and athletes will be able to train under low-oxygen conditions for track and field, swimming, and other sports competitions. Also, training programs developed with the expertise of ASICS will be offered. The center is intended to be a progressive training center that offers new sports experiences to a wide range of users, from elite athletes aiming to improve their performance as well as to public users who wish to improve basic physical strength and to extend healthy life expectancy. Low oxygen training involves conditions that mimic the low oxygen density conditions found in high altitudes above 2,000 meters. Training in such conditions can improve physical endurance and muscle endurance in a short period of time and more efficiently.

South African National Rugby Team "Springboks" (wins the international rugby championship in 2019) wears our jerseys to great success in various championships.

Iga Swiatek (wins the international tennis tournament in 2020) wears our apparel and tennis shoes to great success in various tournaments.

The METASPRINT™ is recommended choice for elite and competitive sprinters. With no spikes inhibiting your stride, athletes will transfer additional power with every step and increase speed – and over short distances, every millisecond saved counts. he shoes provide an amazing fit thanks to the HL-O™ mesh seamless upper, which is lightweight and feels like a second skin.

Shohei Ohtani uses Our Baseball Gear to win American League MVP for the 2021 season.

"METASPEED™ SKY" and "METASPEED™ EDGE" have each been scientifically designed with a distinct type of running style in mind.　ASICS has created the "METASPEED™ SKY" for Stride-type runners and "METASPEED™ EDGE" for Cadence-type runners.

"METASPEED™ SKY" racing shoe is designed to help Stride-type runners go faster by extending their stride length considerably. Stride-type runners take a longer stride once they start increasing their speed.

"METASPEED™ EDGE" racing shoe is designed to help Cadence-type runners go faster by extending their stride length while allowing them to control cadence more easily. Cadence-type runners increase both cadence and stride as they run faster.

The launch of "METASPEED™ SKY" and "METASPEED™ EDGE" means that runners will no longer having to adjust their running style to suit the shoe they’re wearing.

Yasuhito Hirota was appointed President CEO, COO and Representative Director, and Motoi Oyama was appointed Chairman and Director. To move ahead with mid-term Plan 2023 and increase corporate value under the new management setup.

ASICS launched the trainning wear that incorporated the same functional structure as the “Podium Jacket”, the main item of the official sportswear for the Japanese national team at the 2021 international multi-sport competition. It was equipped with ACTIBREEZE™, a unique functional structure that identifies areas where body temperature tends to rise and effectively lowers humidity based on the "ASICS Body Thermomapping" proven by the ASICS Institute of Sport Science.

The "ACTIBREEZE™ 3D SANDAL", combining the intelleligent sports technology cultivated by ASICS Institute of Sport Science with a new manufacturing method using an advanced 3D printing technology to help relax both body and mind for athletes, is the after-performance sandal recommended for preparing your next performance.

According to our unique approach, "ASICS DESIGN PHILOSOPHY," which consists of four components: user testing, science, innovation, and sustainability, we are gradually releasing shoes that aim to have a structural design that is excellent for both body and mind.

＊Photograph,：GEL-NIMBUS™ 25、GEL-KAYANO™ 30

Equipped with a carbon plate from the top of the midsole from the toe to the heel. The midsole uses FF TURBO, which has excellent resilience among our lightweight foam materials, and deforms and compresses as soon as it hits the ground, quickly returning to its original shape. Spiked shoes that pursue high repulsion and propulsion for 100 and 200 meters, giving you a bouncing feeling and supporting forward propulsion.

ASICS signed a Global Partnership Agreement with the wheelchair basketball player, Renshi Chokai. Chokai started his career as a professional wheelchair basketball player. 

The Global Partnership Agreement with Chokai was realized as his passion for contributing to the diversity and inclusive society and his experience as a wheelchair basketball player coincided with ASICS’s corporate vision.

ASICS SportStyle announced the launch of the GEL-LYTE™ III CM 1.95 sneaker – the lightest CO₂e emissions sneaker on the market. (As of September 2023)

One of the shoe’s key features is the carbon-negative foam "a material made from a bio-based polymer derived partially from sugarcane" in the midsole and sockliner.

Additionally, the upper and the sockliner mesh are made with recycled materials and a solution-dyed polyester to help reduce the overall impact on the planet.

Structurally, the minimalistic tape method offers a supportive fit for daily activities while minimizing material use and waste.

Mitsuyuki Tominaga was appointed President, COO and Representative Director, and Yasuhito Hirota was appointed Chairman, CEO and Representative Director.

ASICS will further promote “Global × Digital” as a key strategy for global growth, enhancement of brand experience value and pursuit of operational excellence under the Global Integrated Enterprise policy, which aims to build a truly global management structure by strengthening cooperation between the head office and regional operating companies.

ASICS announces the NIMBUS MIRAI™, a performance running shoe designed to be remade at the end of its life – all without compromising the quality or performance you would expect from a GEL-NIMBUS™ product.

Designed with recycling in mind, the NIMBUS MIRAI™ running shoe is launching with a new returns program, encouraging runners to give back the shoes at the end of their use to support their journey towards circularity.

The NIMBUS MIRAI™ is one of the most advanced shoes ASICS has ever made.　

It examines the structure of the shoe and the roles of each component, ensuring that the quality and performance are consistent with previous models, while making it possible to recycle the materials used in the upper, midsole (that delivers cloud-like cushioning), and outsole.

Novak Djokovic, wearing our tennis shoes, secured the Gold Medal at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad, thereby completing his Career Golden Slam.

Bashir Abdi (silver medalist in the men's marathon at the Games of the XXXIII Olympiad) wore our marathon shoes to great success.

ASICS conducted the Desk Break experiment to explore the connection between daily desk work and mental wellbeing,examining its impact on office workers. Based on the findings, we encouraged taking a 15-minute desk break for physical activity.

On World Mental Health Day, October 10th, we invited office workers to join the #DeskBreak movement and feel the mental benefits.