Japan
Bain sells Japan's Bellsystem24 stake to Itochu
Bain Capital has sold a 49.9% stake in Bellsystem24 Holdings to trading house Itochu Coporation for an undisclosed amount.
Inflexion Point launches $15m Japan-focused game fund
Singapore venture capital firm Inflexion Point Capital (IPC), has launched a $15 million fund to focus on investments in Japan's mobile gaming start-ups.
Global Brain, others lead $4m Series C round for Japan photo app
Japanese early stage investor Global Brain Corp. has joined Energy and Environment Investment and publishing firm Kodansha to invest JPY400 million (about $4 million) in Toyko-based Mind Palette, the start-up behind fashion-focused photo sharing app Snapeee.
Shunfeng commits $74m in Japan power project PE fund
Hong Kong-listed solar cell manufacturer Shunfeng Photovoltaic International has commited JPY7.5 billion ($74 million) to an unnamed Japanese solar power-focused fund.
VC firm launches $13.6m Anglo-Japanese agri fund
Japanese venture capital firm Tsukuba Technology Seed (TTS) has teamed up with the UK's Adapt Low Carbon Group to launch an Anglo-Japanese VC fund focusing on agricultural innovation.
Coller's Mizuno joins GPIF investment committee
Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) has appointed Hiromichi Mizuno, a partner at secondaries specialist Coller Capital, to its investment committee.
Japan fish app start-up raises $4.5m
Hachimenroppi, a Japanese start-up that operates an IT-enabled fresh fish distribution platform, has secured JPY450 million ($4.4 million) in funding from Recruit Holdings, YJ Capital, DeNA, and Monex Ventures.
WiL aims high with Japan’s ‘next Nintendo’
From Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. all the way through to Sony PlayStation’s Final Fantasy, there was a time when Japan ruled the gaming industry. Microsoft’s Xbox and recent Western successes such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto have dented...
KDDI joins corporates to launch incubator
Japanese telecoms giant KDDI will partner with 13 other corporates to create a start-up incubator targeting internet-related businesses.
PE-backed Universal Studios Japan targets IPO - report
Universal Studios Japan (USJ) - a theme park operator backed by Goldman Sachs, PAG, MBK Partners and US hedge fund Owl Creek - is looking to list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Japan's Gree leads $4.5m round for HotelQuickly
Japanese tech giant Gree has led a $4.5 million Series A-1 round of funding for HotelQickly, a Hong Kong-headquartered last-minute hotel booking platform.
INCJ, Fidelity in $24m round for cloud storage provider
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ and Fidelity Growth Partners have taken part in $24 million round for US-based Cloudian, a hybrid cloud storage solutions provider.
JBIC, Mitsubishi take stake in Middle East water company
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has joined Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in acquiring a stake in Middle Eastern water treatment firm Metito.
WiL leads $50m round for Japan gaming start-up
Silicon-Valley based Japanese early-stage investor World Innovation Lab (WiL) has a led a JPY5 billion ($49 million) round of funding for Tokyo-based gaming company Gumi.
VC-backed Japan lunch delivery site raises $27m
Japan's Star Festival, the VC-backed start-up behind lunchbox delivery and catering site Gochikuru.com has raised JPY2.8 billion ($27.4 million) from strategic investor Askul, one of the country's largest office supply mail-order companies.
Carlyle to acquire Japan's SBI Mortgage
The Carlyle Group has made a tender offer to acquire 100% of Japanese mortgage bank SBI Mortgage in deal valued at approximately JPY43.2 billion ($423 million).
JBIC invests $10.5m in India-based Takshasila Hospitals
The government-backed Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has invested INR630 million ($10.5 million) in India's Takshasila Hospitals, which operates Sakra World Hospital in Bangalore.
Japan PE to benefit from new corporate 'psychology' - AVCJ Forum
Japan's buyout space is benefiting from a change in attitude among corporate leaders and founder-owners regarding private equity investors, say industry participants.
Japan's Rakuten launches $100m global VC fund
Rakuten Ventures - the corporate VC arm of Japanese e-commerce giant Rakuten - has launched a $100 million fund targeting start-ups in Asia Pacific, Israel and the US.
VC-backed RareJob goes public in Japan
RareJob, a Japanese English-language learning website that has received capital from a string of VC investors, ended the morning session of its trading debut at a more than 110% premium to its IPO price.
Japan LPs give mixed views on co-investment - AVCJ Forum
More Japanese LPs are recognizing the importance of co-investment for driving returns but some are still put off by the potential risks.
PAG buys Commerzbank’s Japanese real estate business
A PAG-led consortium has acquired a portfolio of around EUR700 million ($954 million) in primary subordinated loans held by Commerzbank’s Japan real estate subsidiary, plus local operations and staff.
Abe's third arrow is Japan PE's 'best-ever chance' - AVCJ Forum
Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's third arrow of structural reform - and his ability to push it through - could present the best-ever opportunity for a resurgent Japan, industry participants say.
Ark Alternative hires Shunichi Umino to head LP relations
Japanese placement agent Ark Totan Alternative has hired Shunishi Umino as its head of financial institution sales.