North Asia
Japanese consortium buys US PE-backed juice maker
A consortium of Japanese investors has acquired Country Pure Foods, a US-based food service juice manufacturer, from US private equity firm Mistral Equity Partners.
Biopharma venture raises $7.3m from Korean investors
Korean healthcare-focused VC firm InterVest and tech-focused E&Investment have together invested $7.28 million in G-treeBNT, a Seoul-based diversified bio pharmaceutical business.
Kumho Asiana to buy back Korea bus unit from IBK, Kstone
IBK Capital and Kstone Partners are set to exit South Korea-based Kumho Buslines after domestic conglomerate Kumho Asiana Group said it would buy back its former subsidiary.
Korean education social network raises $3.2m
Classting, a South Korean social networking site for students and teachers, has raised a KRW3.5 billion ($3.17 million) Series B round of funding led by Partner Investment, a tech-focused PE firm based in Seoul.
Cool Japan invests $37m in TV channel Wakuwaku
The government-backed Cool Japan Fund will contribute JPY4.4 billion ($37 million) to a JPY 11 billion investment in entertainment channel Wakuwaku Japan alongside SKY Perfect JSAT Corp (SJC).
Japan's Recruit buys VC-backed restaurant booking site
Japanese employment and internet services company Recruit Holdings has acquired German VC-backed restaurant booking site Quandoo for EUR198.6 million (about $219 million).
KIC, Kingdom Holdings to partner on PE investments
Korea Investment Corporation (KIC) and Kingdom Holding Company (KHC), an investment company controlled by Saudi billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal, have agreed to collaborate on private equity investment opportunities.
IMJ's Koichi Saito launches new VC fund
Koichi Saito, a former partner at Japanese venture capital firm IMJ Investment Partners, has launched his own VC outfit - KK Fund.
Bain soaks in hot spring opportunity
Along with conveyer belt sushi and lively karaoke nights, the hot spring visit is a uniquely Japanese pastime popular with both locals and, increasingly, those who visit the country.
Fenox invests $2m in Japan solar energy marketplace
Fenox Venture Capital has invested $2 million in I AND C-Cruise (IACC), the Japanese start-up behind solar power web portal Green-EnergyNavi.com.
Japan's INCJ joins acquisition of US biopharma firm
The government-backed Innovation Network corporation of Japan (INCJ), life sciences company JSR Corporation, and pharmaceutical research firm CMIC Holdings have together purchased US-based KBI BioPharma for an undisclosed sum.
US-based 500 Startups unveils $15m South Korea fund
US-based accelerator 500 Startups has launched another $15 million Asian satellite fund in Korea - called 500 Kimchi - a little over a week after it announced a similar vehicle in Thailand.
Japan's Nippon Venture, ATR set up $42m specialist tech fund
Nippon Venture Capital (NVC) and the Advanced Telecommunications Research Institute International in Kyoto have set-up a JPY5 billion ($42 million) fund for niche technology investments.
Bain launches $79m bid for Japanese mushroom producer
Bain Capital has launched a takeover bid for Tokyo-listed Yukiguni Maitake, a troubled Japanese mushroom producer, for as much JPY9.5 billion ($79.1 million).
Cool Japan joins consortium in $160m SDI Media purchase
The government-backed Cool Japan Fund has joined a consortium of Japanese investors, led by production company Imagica Roboto Holdings, to acquire a 100% stake in US subtitler SDI Media Group.
Singapore space junk start-up raises $7.7m Series A
Astronscale, a Singapore-based start-up that develops satellites to remove space debris, has raised $7.7 million in a Series A round of funding from JAFCO and nine entrepreneurs from Japan.
VCs invest $34m in Japan online printing start-up
Japanese online printing service Raksul has managed to raise JPY4 billion ($33.7 million) from a slew of local venture capital investors.
Vogo to exit South Korea's Tong Yang Life to China insurer in $1b deal
South Korean GP Vogo Investment is exiting its majority stake in Tong Yang Life Insurance to China's Anbang Insurance Group in a KRW1.13 trillion ($998 million) deal.
Japan's SBI, Thailand's Finansia form SE Asia PE venture
Japan's SBI Holdings and Thai financial group Finansia has together set up SBI Finansa Private Equity Partners to target investment opportunities in Southeast Asia.
Bain Capital agrees to pay $421m for Japan hot spring chain
Bain Captial has agreed to buy Japanese hotel and spa operator Ooedo-Onsen Holdings for JPY50 billion ($421 million), including debt.
Unison to exit Japan wine retailer Enoteca to Asahi
Japanese mid-market GP Unison Capital has agreed to exit wine retailer Enoteca to brewing giant Asahi Group. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Unitas Capital's Korea team to spin out
Unitas Capital's Eugene Suh and Jay Lee will spin out to raise a Korea-focused fund. They will take the four-person Seoul-based team with them.
YJ Capital invests $3.4m in Japanese online laundry service
WhitePlus - the Japanese start-up behind an online laundry service called Lenet - has managed to raise JPY408 million ($3.4 million) from Yahoo! Japan's corporate investment arm, YJ Capital.
INCJ to invest up to $27m in Japan DNA research start-up
The government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) will invest up to JPY3.3 billion ($27 million) in Quantum Biosystem (QB), a VC-backed Japanese start-up that develops instruments used to automate the DNA sequencing process.