Japan
Deal focus: Opportunity knocks in Japan's pricey auto space
Dream Incubator's VC arm started tracking Nyle after the Japanese online media start-up made a timely pivot into car leasing. It led to a JPY5 billion ($48.3 million) funding round
CVC takes majority stake in Shiseido's personal care division
CVC Capital Partners is set to make its largest investment in Japan since before the global financial crisis, having agreed to purchase of a majority stake in Shiseido’s personal care business at a valuation of JPY160 billion ($1.52 billion).
AVCJ Awards 2020: Firm of the Year - Mid Cap: Advantage Partners
Richard Folsom, representative partner of Advantage Partners, looks back on a year dominated by succession planning, fundraising, and new investment opportunities
Fund focus: Japan's T Capital closes Fund VI at hard cap
Having completed its spin-out from Tokio Marine, T Capital Partners tapped overseas LPs for the first time for its sixth fund. They account for 40% of the JPY81 billion ($773 million) corpus
CLSA partially exits Japan medical IT provider
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has partially exited its position in NHOSA Corporation, a Japanese IT provider for dental clinics and medical institutions.
EQT launches in Japan as part of regional buildout
EQT has formally entered the Japan market – striking a partnership with Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) to aid its local penetration – as part of a broader plan to increase its Asia private equity exposure.
Longreach sells Japanese jeweler to Integral
The Longreach Group has exited Primo Japan to Integral Corporation for an undisclosed sum. This makes Integral the jewelry retailer’s fourth consecutive private equity owner.
AVCJ Awards 2020: Fundraising of the Year - Large Cap: The Carlyle Group
With twice as much dry powder as in its previous Japan vintage, The Carlyle group expects mega-deals and private equity participation to increase
Carlyle-backed consortium sweetens offer for Japan Asia Group
The Carlyle Group and the chairman of Japan Asia Group (JAG) have doubled the size of their tender offer for the Tokyo-listed company following pressure from an activist investor. The chairman is contributing most of the additional equity.
Dimension leads $48m round for Japan's Nyle
Japanese VC firm Dimension has led a JPY5 billion ($48.3 million) round for local digital marketing and mobile media business Nyle.
Monument Group recruits Japan representative
Placement agent Monument Group has appointed Hiroshi Nishimuro, formerly of Morgan Stanley, as its Japan representative to lead fundraising efforts and manage GP relationships in the country.
Carlyle faces activist challenge to Japan Asia Group deal
An investment firm with ties to renowned Japanese activist investor Yoshiaki Murakami is challenging The Carlyle Group’s JPY37 ($355 million) bid for Japan Asia Group by launching a tender offer of its own.
SoftBank Ventures backs Japanese sneaker marketplace
SoftBank Ventures Asia has led a JPY2.2 billion ($21.2 million) Series B round for Japan’s Soda, operator of the online sneaker marketplace Snrk Dunk.
Japan energy solutions buyback continues J-Star's exit run
J-Star, a Japanese lower middle-market GP, has announced its third liquidity event in the space of a week with the exit energy savings solutions provider ESCO via a buyout by company management.
Japan's J-Star confirms two exits
Japan’s J-Star has confirmed trade sale exits of healthcare coverage specialist NHS Insurance and fire safety equipment supplier Yokoi Manufacturing.
Carlyle buys Japanese X-ray equipment maker
The Carlyle Group has acquired a majority stake in Rigaku Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of X-ray equipment, for an enterprise valuation of approximately JPY100 billion ($970 million).
Applied Materials revises offer for Japan's Kokusai Electric
Applied Materials, which agreed to acquire Japanese semiconductor industry supplier Kokusai Electric from KKR 18 months ago, has increased its offer for the company from $2.2 billion to $3.5 billion.
Blackstone adds ex-government advisor to its Japan ranks
The Blackstone Group has appointed Eiichi Hasegawa, who most recently served as an advisor to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as a senior advisor in the country.
PAG names Japan PE co-heads
PAG has named Koichi Ito, previously of Credit Suisse, and Yoichi Tamagawa, formerly of Marunouchi Capital, as co-heads of its Japan private equity business.
PE-backed WealthNavi soars on Tokyo debut
Japanese financial technology start-up WealthNavi gained 100% on its trading debut following a JPY17.9 billion ($172.9 million) IPO that facilitated partial exits for Gree Ventures, Infinity Venture Partners, and Global Brain.
The crystal ball: Predictions for 2021
Industry professionals process the upheavals of 2020 to inform outlooks for a range of markets and investment themes. Realist bullishness abounds
Fund focus: Integral scales up again
Riding on a wave of IPOs that have returned the principal on Fund II and given Fund III a strong start, Integral Corporation has secured $1.18 billion in commitments for its fourth Japan fund
2020 in review: Surprise guest
The coronavirus pandemic has played havoc with Asian private equity, contributing to a resurgence in IPOs, increased bifurcation in fundraising, a rush for healthcare, and a generally staggered revival
Advantage, Tokyo Century agree Japan health foods deal
Advantage Partners has teamed up with Tokyo Century Corp. and Japanese strategic Euglena to acquire Q’Sai, a local health foods and cosmetics business, from Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings.