The Japanese sportswear group will move the resurgent sneaker label into a dedicated subsidiary as it targets faster global growth.
Key Takeaways
- Asics will transfer Onitsuka Tiger to OT Group Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary.
- The restructuring is expected to be completed on January 1, 2027.
- Onitsuka Tiger is targeting annual sales of ¥200 billion.
- The brand plans to re-enter the U.S. retail market with a Los Angeles store in February 2027.
Asics Corp. will move Onitsuka Tiger into a dedicated subsidiary as the Japanese sportswear group looks to accelerate growth around one of its fastest-rising lifestyle brands.
The company’s board has approved a plan to transfer the 77-year-old sneaker label to OT Group Corp., a wholly owned Asics subsidiary, through an absorption-type company split. The restructuring is targeted for completion on January 1, 2027. Asics also plans to separate the Onitsuka Tiger business within its regional subsidiaries and bring those operations under OT Group. The company said it is not considering an initial public offering for the brand.
The move gives Onitsuka Tiger a more focused operating structure at a time when the label is benefiting from renewed demand for retro sneakers, increased tourism spending in Japan, and growing international interest in Japanese lifestyle brands. Asics said the new framework will support faster decision-making, while Onitsuka Tiger plans to use artificial intelligence across management functions, including large-scale data analysis and routine operations.
Onitsuka Tiger has become a stronger growth engine within the Asics portfolio. OT Group chief executive officer Ryoji Shoda said at a Tokyo press conference that the brand sees annual sales eventually reaching ¥200 billion, or about $1.3 billion. In the first quarter, net sales rose 34 percent year-on-year to ¥37.8 billion.
For Asics, the restructuring reflects a strategy of giving Onitsuka Tiger greater autonomy while keeping the brand within the group. Asics chief executive officer Yasuhito Hirota said the move is intended to accelerate Onitsuka Tiger’s growth and increase value across the broader company.
Founded in 1949, Onitsuka Tiger began as a sports shoe brand before evolving into a fashion-led lifestyle label under Asics. Its slim-profile sneakers, including heritage styles such as the Mexico 66, have gained fresh relevance amid fashion’s ongoing appetite for low-profile retro footwear. The brand’s pop-cultural visibility was also shaped by its appearance on Uma Thurman in Quentin Tarantino’s Kill Bill films.
The next phase will include a renewed retail push in major international cities. Onitsuka Tiger closed its North American retail locations in 2023 to improve profitability, but the brand plans to re-enter the U.S. market with a Los Angeles store in February 2027. Additional store openings are planned in Shanghai, Milan, and Seoul.
Asics shares fell as much as 2 percent on Wednesday following the announcement. The stock remains up about 17 percent so far in 2026.