Japan
KKR boosts capital markets, Capstone teams in Japan
KKR has strengthened its Japan team with the appointment of Hiro Shimizu and Sakae Suzuki as directors. The private equity firm now has 12 people in its Tokyo office.
Carlyle upbeat on Japan, expects to launch new fund in 2013
The Carlyle Group says it has already begun preliminary talks with investors for a third Japan fund, and remains upbeat about opportunities in the country's buyout space.
Orix beats PE firms to buy Rabobank's Robeco
Orix has bought the asset management arm of Rabobank, Robeco, for EUR1.9 billion ($2.5 billion). The Japanese financial services firm will acquire a 90.1% stake in the company while Rabobank will retain 9.9%.
Carlyle to make partial exit with Broadleaf IPO
The Carlyle Group is set to exit the majority of its stake in Broadleaf following the Japanese company's announcement that it would seek to raise up to JPY23.3 billion ($248.37 million) through an IPO.
Asahi accuses Independent Liquor of ‘channel stuffing’
Asahi claims that Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and Unitas Capital resorted to “channel stuffing” – where companies supply retailers with more product than they are capable of selling to boost sales figures – to artificially inflate Independent...
Virginia pension fund backs Fortress’ Japan distress vehicle
Virginia Retirement System (VRS) has committed to $50 million to Fortress Investment Group’s Japan Opportunity Fund II, a distress-focused vehicle that closed last December at its hard cap of JPY130 billion ($1.65 billion).
Asahi, PE firms set for legal battle over Independent Liquor sale - update
Japanese beverage giant Asahi has taken legal action against private equity firms Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and Unitas Capital over its acquisition of New Zealand firm Independent Liquor in 2011 for NZ$1.5 billion ($1.5 billion).
CLSA exits Japan’s Everlife for $285m
CLSA Japan has sold its 100% stake in Japanese direct marketing company Everlife to Korea's LG Household and Health Care for JPY25.8 billion ($285 million).
CITIC Capital Japan-backed Tri-Wall acquires DS Smith unit
Tri-Wall, a Hong Kong-headquartered heavy-duty cardboard manufacturer backed by CITIC Capital Partners, has acquired the UK Tri-Wall unit of British packaging firm D.S. Smith.
HIG Capital sells Anvis to Japan's Tokai Rubber
HIG Capital has sold German car parts maker Anvis to Japan's Tokai Rubber Industries for EUR132 million ($177.91 million). Financial terms of the deal were not undisclosed.
Japan's Aeon eyes CVC's Matahari - report
Japan's Aeon Group and a unit of Thailand's Central Group are said to be eyeing CVC Capital Partners-owned Indonesian retail group Matahari Department Store.
J-Star completes clothing brand turnaround
Three and-a-half years ago, Olive des Olive, a hip teen clothing-brand based out of Tokyo, was suffering. Having filed for bankruptcy, its reputation frayed by allegations that its clothing came from a factory in China and had been re-labeled “Made...
Advantage sees 7x return on coffee chain deal
When Advantage Partenrs paid JPY15 billion ($146 million) for a 78% stake in Komeda Coffee in 2008, the chain was to a certain extent a victim of its own success. After more than 40 years of expansion the company had grown to around 300 stores and its...
LP interview: Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund
Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) is considering the addition of alternative investments to its portfolio. It must find a balance between conservatism and the need for higher returns
J-Star exit sees 3x return on Olive des Olive exit
J-Star, a Japanese mid-market buyout firm, has exited Tokyo clothing brand Olive des Olive to wholesale company Takisada-Osaka, securing a return of more than 3x and an estimated IRR of 35-40%.
GPs upbeat on ailing Japan
Private equity investors expect to see more buyout opportunities in Japan despite a weak deal environment in recent years and ongoing concerns about the country's economy.
Cerberus to raise $1.7b through Aozora Bank exit
Cerberus Capital Management is set to raise 146.1 billion ($1.7 billion) as it sells the bulk of its 58% stake in Japan's Aozora Bank following a nine-year holding period.
KKR boosts Asia business by offering outbound deal access
Building relationships and generating deal flow in Asia doesn’t necessarily involve starting in Asia, according to Joe Bae, regional head of KKR. The private equity firm has made inroads in Japan, South Korea and China by providing local partners with...
The debt deadline: Japans's SMEs at a crossroads
Japan’s Debt Moratorium Law, seen by some industry participants as an impediment to PE deal flow in the last three year, is set to expire at the end of March. Does this spell new opportunities for the industry?
Advantage Partners sells Komeda coffee shop chain to MBK
Advantage Partners has agreed to sell its controlling stake in Japanese coffee shop chain Komeda to MBK Partners.
PE-backed InMobi acquires Overlay media
Indian mobile ad network InMobi has acquired Overlay Media, a UK developer of “content aware” computing technologies.
Carlyle sees return on capsule innovation
Gelatin has been used to produce two-piece drug capsules for nearly 100 years, largely thanks to its ability to dissolve easily and be manufactured to a uniform thickness. The problem is that the manufacturing technique has never been all that kosher,...
Cerberus begins Aozora exit with $1.8b sell down
Cerberus is to sell the bulk of its 58% holding in Japan's Aozora Bank through a public market sale that could generate up to JPY158.1 billion ($1.8 billion). The US firm's stake would fall to 8%.
Mizuho, JBIC to set up $183m SME private equity fund
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC), Mizuho Corporate Bank (Mizuho CB) and Mizuho Bank will form the Mizuho ASEAN PE Fund to support the overseas expansion of Japanese mid-tier and small- to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).