Asics President Mitsuyuki Tominaga suggested that the brand could raise prices on its products, as transportation costs are soaring amid higher oil prices driven by the war in the Middle East.
Tominaga, in an interview with Nikkei Asia, identified the rising cost of transporting finished goods as the company’s “biggest concern.”
“If this war drags on and costs continue to rise, I believe we will naturally need to consider raising prices, Tominaga told the financial publication on March 29.
Asics ships its footwear from factories in Indonesia and Vietnam to Europe and the U.S. via the Suez Canal, according to the report. Tominago indicated that Asics is considering shifting its shipping focus from the Suez Canal to the longer route around the Cape of Good Hope to avoid conflict zones, despite longer transit times and higher costs.
Tominaga also reported that Asics has shifted more of its manufacturing to Indonesia and Vietnam, with Indonesia now producing 60 percent of Asics’ products destined for the U.S. market. He also noted that Asics has accelerated its push into Indonesia as part of a broader Southeast Asia expansion and to mitigate global geopolitical risks.
Asics reported sales in Indonesia increased 51.4 percent to ¥7.4 billion ($46 mm) in 2025. Tominago said, “Asics is targeting $100 million as a ‘key benchmark’ for the Indonesian market,” adding, “We’re getting very close to the goal.”
Image courtesy Asics Corporation
