Sales from sports shoe manufacturers are growing rapidly. ASICS, one example, reported a record high for the third consecutive year in its consolidated financial results for the January-March 2025 period. Sales increased 20% to ¥208.3 billion, surpassing ¥200 billion for the first time in a January-March period. Net profit increased 18% year-on-year to ¥31.6 billion. This was due to increased sales of high-priced “sports-style” everyday sneakers and shoes. Anticipating continued demand growth, ASICS is launching new products. In August of this year, ASICS launched the lightest platform running shoes for elite runners. The launch of this new, lightest product aims to strengthen profitability. The strategy of reducing sales of affordable entry-level models for beginners and focusing on higher-priced shoes appears to be paying off. Running enthusiasts want to run fast, but expensive shoes seem to have mixed feelings.
The Tokyo Marathon, which has led the boom, had a participation fee of ¥10,000 for the inaugural event in 2007. Starting with the March 2026 event, the participation fee will increase to ¥19,800. The average entry fee, which was in the ¥6,700 range in 2019, rose to ¥8,945 in the first half of 2025. The average entry fee for races and events in 2024 is expected to be ¥8,000, an increase of ¥2,100 compared to 2019. The rise in entry fees for races and events continues unabated. Despite rising shoe and entry fees, an increasing number of young and international runners are stepping up to the starting line, undeterred by rising shoe and entry fees. More and more young and international runners are stepping up to the starting line in search of the running experience.
Registration activity has been brisk nationwide this year, and it appears to be recovering to pre-COVID levels. It is expected to recover to 95% of pre-COVID levels in 2019, and slightly exceed 2019 levels in 2025. R-Bees (Shibuya, Tokyo) is a company that publishes the magazine “Monthly Runners” and organizes marathon events. The company handles registrations for most marathons and running events across the country. According to R-Bees’ statistics, the total number of entries in 2024 reached 2.1 million. A notable trend in the post-COVID era is the significant increase in young people’s participation. By 2025, the number of new member registrations on the R-Bees website from people in their 20s is expected to grow to 96,000, approximately 1.6 times the number in 2019. Young people seem to find joy in participating in races with their friends and sharing the physical experience and excitement. Citizen Marathons are increasingly being chosen by young people as a tool for communication. A recent trend has been an increase in foreign runners participating in Japanese races. Participants from Hong Kong, Taiwan, and Thailand appear to be particularly prominent. If marathons become a forum for international exchange, everyone will be happy.
