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ASICS
Kihachiro Onitsuka Founds Onitsuka Co., Ltd.
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 four 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.
Mitsuji Teranishi is Appointed Representative Director of Teranishi Genzo Trading Company
1949
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.
First Basketball Shoe is Released
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.
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.