Asics to spin off Onitsuka Tiger into new subsidiary

The Japanese sportswear company Asics will spin off its Onitsuka Tiger brand into a new, wholly owned subsidiary named OT Group Corp., effective January 1, 2027. The move, approved by Asics' board of directors, aims to grant the fast-growing lifestyle brand greater operational independence and accelerate its decision-making.

Under the reorganization, the Onitsuka Tiger business currently operated by Asics and its regional entities will be transferred to OT Group. The new subsidiary will serve as the brand's global headquarters, based in Tokyo, with its own subsidiaries handling sales and manufacturing. Ryoji Shoda, the current brand head, will become president and CEO of OT Group. Asics, which will remain headquartered in Kobe under president and COO Mitsuyuki Tominaga, stated the spin-off will enhance competitiveness by allowing strategies tailored to Onitsuka Tiger's unique characteristics.

The decision follows several years of exceptional financial performance by the heritage brand. In the fiscal year ending December 2025, Onitsuka Tiger's sales surged 43% year-over-year to 136.5 billion yen (approximately $851 million), driven by strong demand in Europe, inbound tourism to...