North Asia
Q&A: Unison Capital's Tatsuo Kawasaki
Tatsuo Kawasaki, co-founder and partner at Unison Capital, discusses why deal flow is growing in Japan’s middle market – not only in terms of volume, but also in seller type and sector scope
KKR founders, Fosun join $22m round for Japan's Seven Dreamers
KKR co-founders Henry Kravis and George Roberts have joined a group of investors including Chinese conglomerate Fosun International in a JPY2.5 billion ($22.8 million) round for Seven Dreamers Laboratories, a Japan-based manufacturer of personal-use devices....
Korea's NPS boosts alternatives allocation to 11.4%
The National Pension Service of Korea (NPS) continued its steady growth in alternatives exposure, with its allocation increasing from 10.7% to 11.4% over the course of 2016 – which equates to additional capital of KRW9 trillion ($7.9 billion) – as total...
Japan consumer: Beyond borders
Private equity investors see an opportunity in taking advantage of the popularity of Japanese brands in other Asian markets. Making these strategies work requires patience and a tolerance for risk
Japanese LPs: The end of the beginning
Japan’s GPIF has finally signaled its readiness to invest in alternative assets. Though contributions will likely be slow to come and limited at first, the barest hint of its intentions has wide-ranging ramifications
Japan technology: Light switch
OLED technology is seen as a quantum leap forward for digital panels, but VC investors are reluctant to get on board. Japan may have to overcome this hesitancy to maintain market share in high-end electronics
Japan carve-outs: Chips off the block
Divestment activity by Japanese conglomerates is finally translating into meaningful private equity deal flow, but unwinding people and assets from longstanding parents presents execution challenges
IMM increases commitment to Korean shipbuilder
IMM Investment has agreed to invest another KRW100 billion ($89 million) in Korean shipbuilder Hyundai Samho Heavy Industries (HSHI).
Skylake invests $53m in Korean O2O services player
Skylake Investment has committed KRW60 billion ($53 million) in Yanolja, a South Korean online-to-offline (O2O) local services platform best known for providing discount hotel deals.
Baring Asia to exit Japan's Joyful Honda
Baring Private Equity Asia will sell its minority stake in Joyful Honda, a Japan-based home improvement center operator, for JPY56.6 billion ($513 million) through participation in a tender offer launched by the company.
Fund focus: Safe hands
With $9.3 billion in dry powder, KKR aims to capitalize on growing big-ticket opportunities in the region. The large and rapid fundraise is further evidence of the flight to quality among LPs
PE-owned Samyang closes up on debut after $60m IPO
Korean camera lens manufacturer Samyang Optics ended its first day of trading on KOSDAQ at a slight premium to its IPO price, having raised KRW66.8 billion ($60 million) in the offering and enabled VIG Partners to make a partial exit.
Japan's Unison buys local bar and restaurant chain
Unison Capital has acquired Dinamix, an operator of Japanese-style bar and restaurants, for an undisclosed sum.
Korean culture plays: Sitting pretty?
Private equity is riding the 'Korean wave' by investing in cultural assets - from music to TV dramas to beauty products – that have international appeal. Success hinges on execution as much as macro trends
KKR closes third Asian fund at $9.3b
KKR has closed its third pan-regional fund at $9.3 billion, breaking its own record for the largest pool of private equity capital ever raised for deployment in Asia. The fundraising process took less than seven months and the vehicle is said to have...
Future Venture Capital to buy All Nippon Entertainment
Future Venture Capital (FVC) has agreed to acquire Japanese media company All Nippon Entertainment Works (ANEW) from government-owned investor Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ).
Deal focus: IMM seeks to ride the Korean wave
IMM Investment has become the latest private equity firm to buy into the Korean cosmetics story, paying $330 million for a majority stake in Able C&C through a tender offer and the acquisition of shares from the founder
Placement agent First Avenue opens Korea office
Private funds and corporate placement agent First Avenue has opened an office in Seoul, adding to its existing Asia Pacific bases in Hong Kong and Sydney.
Fund focus: Gree widens its regional scope
For its $67 million second fund, Gree Ventures has added India to its existing Japan and Southeast Asia coverage with a view to facilitating wider cross-border collaboration
Bain to make full exit from Domino's Pizza Japan
Bain Capital Private Equity is set to exit Domino’s Pizza Japan, having exercised a put option requiring Domino’s Pizza Enterprises (DPE) - which acquired a majority interest in the business in 2013 – to buy its 25% stake.
Big beast: The SoftBank Vision Fund
SoftBank's global technology fund is significant enough to redraw the private equity investment opportunity in certain industries, if not to redraw the industries themselves
Japan's Gree Ventures closes second fund at $67m
Gree Ventures, which was set up by Japanese mobile gaming company Gree, has closed its second early-stage VC fund at $67 million.
MBK to buy Modern House from Korea's E-Land for $626m
MBK Partners has agreed to buy Modern House, the household and consumer goods unit of Korean retail giant E-Land Group, for KRW700 billion ($626 million).
Hynix joins bid for Toshiba's memory chip unit as PE firms circle
South Korean memory chip manufacturer SK Hynix has joined a group that is bidding for Toshiba’s Nand flash memory business amid reports that Bain Capital has submitted an offer of $10 billion for the asset.