By Daniel Etchells

Motoi Oyama (left), President, chief executive and representative director of Asics, and Yoshirō Mori (right), Tokyo 2020 President, at the signing ceremony ©Tokyo 2020Japanese sportswear manufacturer Asics has been selected as the 10th Tokyo 2020 Gold Partner, the highest tier of the domestic sponsorship programme.

Under the category of "Sporting Goods", Asics will support both the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Japanese national teams over the next six years.

Asics, a sponsor of the Tokyo 2020 bid, will leverage the agreement to enable the company to continue its contribution to healthy and sustainable societies, in line with its vision of creating quality lifestyles through intelligent sports technology, it is claimed. 

"I am delighted that Asics Corporation, one of Japan's leading producers of sporting goods, will be supporting our efforts to deliver a successful 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games as a Tokyo 2020 Gold Partner," said Tokyo 2020 President Yoshirō Mori.

"Asics will not only be supplying the uniforms for the Japanese national Olympic and Paralympic teams, but will also be providing uniforms for the Games' volunteers.

"Every member of our 'All-Japan' team will be working hard to ensure the success of the Games."

Asics' previous formal associations with the Olympics were as an Official Sponsor of footwear for the Barcelona 1992 Olympic Games, and as an Official Sponsor for the Turin 2006 Winter Olympic Games. 

Asics will support the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Japanese national teams over the next six years ©Shugo Takemi/Tokyo 2020Asics will support the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games and the Japanese national teams over the next six years ©Tokyo 2020



The company's involvements with previous national Olympic and Paralympic teams extended to providing footwear and apparel to athletes and sporting associations.

"It is indeed a great honour for Asics to be selected as a Tokyo 2020 Gold Partner," said Motoi Oyama, President, chief executive and representative director of Asics.

"The company's founding philosophy of 'promoting the healthy development of young people through sport' resonates perfectly with the values promoted by the Olympic and Paralympic Movements.

"Asics will strive to make the Tokyo 2020 Games a resounding success by making the best use of the extensive experience the company has gained supporting athletes and sports associations in previous editions of the Olympic and Paralympic Games, and continue contributing to the development of a healthy and sustainable society."

Asics was named as an acronym of the company's founding philosophy, derived from the Roman poet Juvenal's satire anima sana in corpore sano (a sound mind in a sound body), which reflects its founding commitment to promoting the healthy development of young people through sport, it is claimed.

The company was founded in 1949 and is based in Kobe.

The sportswear giant was a sponsor of team Europe at last month's "Europe versus Japan" two-game baseball series at the Tokyo Dome, providing clothing for the event, as well as hats, shoes, belts, jackets and undershirts. 

In becoming a Tokyo 2020 Gold Partner, it joins Nippon Life Insurance Company, Tokio Marine & Nichido Fire Insurance Co, JX Nippon Oil & Energy Corporation, Fujitsu, NEC, Canon, Asahi Breweries, Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corporation, and Nomura.

The aim of the scheme is to raise a total of JPY¥150 billion (£840 million/€1.27 billion/$1.1 billion) in sponsorship to help offset the cost of the Games, and Tokyo 2020 are reportedly charging each Gold Partner JPY¥15 billion (£80 million/$128 million/€110 million) to be part of the spectacle.

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