North Asia
NSSK buys Japanese sports nutrition business
NSSK has acquired the sports nutrition division of Japan’s Dome Corporation, which is best known as the local distributor for US sportswear brand Under Armour.
Japan's J-Star acquires waste management business
Japanese private equity firm J-Star has acquired local waste management operator Sincere Corporation for an undisclosed sum.
Hahn & Co buys Korean Air's catering, duty free businesses
Hahn & Company is making its second acquisition from South Korea’s Hanjin Group – six years after carving out the Hanjin Shipping bulk carrier business – having agreed to buy the in-flight catering and duty-free operations of Korean Air for KRW990.6 billion...
Blackstone agrees $2.3b carve-out from Japan's Takeda
Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical has agreed to sell a portfolio of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and health products to The Blackstone Group for JPY242 billion ($2.3 billion).
Carlyle exits Korean garment manufacturer
The Carlyle Group has agreed to sell its majority stake in Korean apparel manufacturer Yakjin Trading Corporation to domestic fashion giant JS Corporation for around KRW14.3 billion ($12 million).
Japan's iSpace raises $28m Series B
Japanese lunar exploration company iSpace has raised $28 million Series B round led by Incubate Fund.
Uncertainty deters distress investors - M&A Forum
Distress-focused investors warned that persistent economic uncertainty is making it difficult to act on opportunities even as companies run into trouble because of the coronavirus pandemic.
Baring Asia mulls challenging for Japan's Nichii Gakkan
Baring Private Equity Asia is poised to formally enter the bidding for Tokyo-listed aged care provider Nichii Gakkan, having approached certain shareholders regarding a JPY146 billion ($1.38 billion) deal.
Ant Capital targets $253m buyout of Japan's Softbrain
Ant Capital Partners has launched a tender offer for Softbrain, a Japanese sales and marketing software developer, that values the business at approximately JPY26.9 billion ($253.1 million).
Airbus Ventures sets up Japan office
Airbus Ventures, the US-based VC unit of European aeronautics giant Airbus, has set up an office in Japan and received investment from a number of Japanese investors for its third fund.
Japan's ACA exits aged care business
Tokyo-listed healthcare provider Solasto will acquire 100% of Japan Elderly Care Service for JPY2.3 billion ($22 million), providing an exit for local private equity firm ACA Investments.
Globis joins $32.6m round for Japan's Photosynth
Globis Capital Partners has joined a JPY3.5 billion ($32.6 million) Series C round for Photosynth, a Japanese internet-of-things (IoT) developer specializing in smart locks for office buildings.
Korea, US-based serialized fiction app gets $63m
SoftBank Ventures Asia and Kakao have led a $63.2 million Series A round for Radish, a Korea and US-based producer and broadcaster of serialized fiction for mobile devices.
Sustainable food: Forces of nature
Environmental considerations are intrinsic to food innovation investment strategy, not a public relations bonus. Science, society, and myriad motivations color a range of perspectives
Hana invests $85m in Asia renewables platform
Hana Financial has invested KRW100 billion ($85 million) in a portfolio of Korean waste to energy (WTE) projects being developed by Equis Development.
Bain sweetens offer for Japan's Nichii Gakkan
Bain Capital has increased its offer price for Tokyo-listed aged care provider Nichii Gakkan – after a Hong Kong hedge fund criticized the board for not doing enough to protect the interests of minority shareholders – valuing the business at JPY122 billion...
Advantage shuffles team for succession, strategic reasons
Advantage Partners has appointed Shinichiro Kita as head of its Japan buyout team as part of succession planning within the Japanese firm. The change also ties into efforts to create more synergies between the buyout operation and an expanded public markets...
Asia online gaming: Game on
Videogaming has outgrown entertainment and media to become a sector unto itself, with new angles for exposure multiplying rapidly. E-sports is an area to watch
Korean travel app secures $36m funding round
MyRealTrip, a South Korean travel super app that positions itself as a one-stop-shop for bookings, has raised KRW43.2 billion ($36 million) in funding from the likes of Altos Ventures, IMM Investment, and Axiom Asia.
Deal focus: DRX wants e-sports to surf the Korean wave
Investors are backing DRX to generate international buzz for e-sports in Korea, following in the footsteps of K-pop, K-food and K-beauty. Overseas interest is already mounting
Korean AI education start-up gets $41m pre-Series D
Korea Development Bank (KDB) and local private equity firms Nvestor, Intervest and IMM Investment have participated in a $41.8 million pre-Series D round for Riiid, a Korean online education platform.
Korean strategic, financial investors back industrial AI start-up
MakinaRocks, a Korean artificial intelligence (AI) start-up that helps manufacturers achieve production efficiencies through the application of deep learning technology, has raised KRW12 billion ($10 million) in Series A funding.
Korea e-sports player DRX secures $22.5m
Korean e-sports organization DRX has raised $10 million from a group of local investors. It coincides with a separate $12.5 million commitment from e-sports specialist ATU Partners.
2Q analysis: Numbers that deceive
Asia has seen remarkable revivals in private equity investment and fundraising – though not in exits – over the past three months. A handful of large-cap situations mask a weak environment