The President Of Japanese Sports Giant Asics Talks About The Future Strategy: To Build China Into Fourth Pillar Markets.

Japanese sports products group Asics (Arthur) recently announced the first quarter of fiscal year 2018 data, sales decline in many markets, but the demand for running shoes in East Asia is strong.

Previously reported: Japan sports giant Asics group released the first quarter data: comprehensive sales decline, but

Strong demand in East Asia

Hiroda Yasuhito, President and CEO, who took office in March this year, pointed out that the United States will boost the United States in the future.

Sales resumed growth.

"The time of US market downturn is longer than expected, and the deficit is expanding."

Hiroda Yasuhito graduated from the school of politics and economics of Waseda University. He joined MITSUBISHI business in 1980. He served as executive director of MITSUBISHI business in 2010. He later held multiple executive positions and joined Asics as an adviser in 2018.

In the first quarter of March 31, 2018, the core financial data of Asics are as follows:

Operating profit plunged 35.4% to 8 billion 500 million yen, the main factors include: sales costs, comprehensive expenses and administrative expenses (SG&A) grew 7.9%, and the opening of new retail stores.

Profits attributable to parent companies fell 43.2% to 5 billion 300 million yen over the same period.

Hiroda Yasuhito pointed out: "the beginning of a double decline in sales and profits is not ideal, especially in the US market, which is worse than expected."

In 2018, the increase in the cost of Direct stores in the Asics and USA markets led to a decline in operating profits in the two markets.

Sales in the Chinese market increased by more than 20% over the same period last year. Sales of Onitsuka Tiger ghosts continued to grow by 25% over the same period last year. The group is optimistic about the Chinese market.

Hiroda Yasuhito indicated that the Asics Asics Global Plan 2020, which was launched earlier, is the goal of his future work. Asics hopes to 2020:

Operating margins exceed 7%

The return on equity is more than 10%.

As the core of Asics

America contributed nearly 25% of its sales to the brand.

In the first quarter, sales in the US fell 26.8% year-on-year due to the sluggish sales of wholesale channels.

Affected by the sluggish sales in the core US market, the Asics sales target was lowered to 500 billion yen at the beginning of this year, with a target of 750 billion yen.

(see "ornate ambition" previously reported: the Japanese campaign Asics Tokyo launched the mid term reform strategy, which aims to sell 750 billion yen in 2020 Olympic Games).

The specific strategy of the Asics medium-term business plan strategy "AACD" will start from four aspects: the US market revival, clothing category reform, investment in the Chinese market, and the construction of a new business mode through the channel of e-commerce.

Hiroda Yasuhito said: "the US market has changed frequently, and the market of easy running has been growing rapidly, but we have not planned ahead of this one.

For Asics, the US market is the key and must not lose.

In the future, the brand will vigorously launch products that meet the new needs of the market, such as the HYPER GEL series for easy running.

In recent years, consumers' health consciousness has been strengthened, and the sales volume in China has been increasing rapidly.

Hiroda Yasuhito said: "actively promote growth in the growing market, and make China become the fourth pillar Market after North America, Europe and Japan."

This year, Asics signed the Chinese female singer Li Yuchun to endorse the Onitsuka Tiger ghost tomb tiger, and signed Jiang Arthur and Aarif Lee's endorsement professional sports brand Arthur Arthur.

In addition, the company will also convey brand spirit to a wider range of young fashion consumers through brand image upgrading and store design, so as to help the Chinese market achieve more rapid growth.

Arthur, who is behind the "king of running shoes", wants to become more youthful and young! "Exclusive interview with President of ASICS group Greater China"

Asics is also actively expanding children's shoes.

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In April 27th this year, the first flagship store for children's shoes was opened at Ginza Six in Ginza, Tokyo. The interior decoration was mainly white and blue hue, and the Asics Sports Institute of engineering and design was designed and manufactured based on children's unique foot type and walking motions.

The target customers of brand children's shoes, from toddlers to primary school students, publicize the idea of "starting from feet and supporting the healthy growth of children".

In January this year, Onitsuka Tiger's high-end Japanese made NIPPON MADE launched its customized service. In the store located in the watch Road, the custom service was based on MEXICO 66 DELUXE shoe type, providing soles, shoes and hats and tongue and other options. At the same time, it also provided English, movie pseudonyms, hats, numbers and marking embroidery services.

(100 yen is currently about 5.8 yuan).