Asics will spin off Onitsuka Tiger, the 77-year-old Japanese shoe brand that¡¯s enjoyed a resurgence in popularity amid a tourism boom and growing global demand for retro sneakers.
Asics said its board of directors has approved a plan to transfer the Onitsuka Tiger business to OT GROUP, a wholly owned subsidiary, through an absorption-type company split. Completion is targeted for Jan. 1, 2027, the Japanese sportswear maker added in a statement Wednesday.
The company also plans to separate the Onitsuka Tiger business within its regional subsidiaries and consolidate those operations under OT GROUP.
Asics said that transitioning Onitsuka Tiger to a more independent operating structure would enable faster decision-making.
¡°In the sense that it allows them to pursue more flexible strategies, the spinoff is a positive development,¡± said Shoichi Arisawa, a fellow at Iwai Cosmo Securities.
First widely popularized by actress Uma Thurman in director Quentin Tarantino¡¯s ¡°Kill Bill¡± films, Onitsuka Tiger started as a sport shoe brand and later became a fashion trend under parent Asics. While the label shut down its North American retail locations in 2023 to improve profitability, it unveiled a global flagship store last year on the Champs-?lys¨¦es in Paris.
Onitsuka Tiger¡¯s first-quarter net sales increased 34% year-on-year to ?37.8 billion ($236 million). Asics shares have risen roughly 20% so far in 2026.
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