North Asia
CVC announces final close of $3.5b on fourth Asian fund
CVC Capital Partners has announced a final close on its fourth pan-Asian fund at the hard cap of $3.5 billion. The vehicle has spent just under a year in the market, having launched in June 2013 with a target of around $3 billion.
DCM leads $14.6m round for Japan CRM start-up
DCM has led a JPY1.46 billion ($14.6 million) round of investment for Sansan, the Japanese start-up behind business card-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution Eight.
INCJ invests $4m in Japan's Customer Communications
The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has invested JPY400 million ($4 million) in Customer Communications (CCL), which provides analytics for consumer purchasing behavior.
Japan's Gree Ventures reaches $50m first close on tech fund
Gree Ventures - the corporate VC arm of the Japanese mobile gaming firm Gree - has held an initial close on its second fund, AT-I Investment, of JPY5 billion ($50 million).
Unison exits Japan real estate management firm to Fosun
Chinese conglomerate Fosun Group has bought Tokyo-based real estate management firm IDERA Capital Management from Japanese private equity firm Unison Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed.
Fenox, Mizuho lead $10m round for Japan e-scooter maker
Fenox Ventures and Mizuho Capital have led a $10 million round of investment in Terra Motors Corp, a Japanese manufacturer of two and three-wheeler electric vehicles.
DBJ invests $14m in Japan's Diamond Electric
The Development Bank of Japan(DBJ) has invested JPY1.5 billion ($14 million) in Diamond Electric, a Tokyo-listed electronic devices manufacturer, for a 49.5% a stake.
Global Brain, 500 Startups lead Series C for couples app
VCNC, the Korean start-up behind couples app Between, has raised a Series C round of investment from Japanese venture capital firm Global Brain and US investor 500 Startups.
POSCO VC leads Series A for Korean online video provider
POSCO Venture Capital - the corporate VC arm Korean steel maker POSCO - has led a $3 million Series A round of funding for online video start-up Shakr Media.
CyberAgent invests $1.6m in Japan flea market app
Japanese internet firm CyberAgent has invested JPY160 million ($1.6 million) in VC-backed mobile flea market app 10sec.
CVC buys KFC Korea franchise
CVC Capital Partners has agreed to buy the South Korea KFC business from domestic conglomerate Doosan for KRW100 billion ($97.9 million).
WM Partners in debut secondary deal
When Moriyoshi Matsumoto spun out from JAIC to form WM Partners (WMP) last year it was with a view to targeting a very specific need.
UTEC invests $2m in Japan broadband service
University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC) has invested JPY200 million ($1.9 million) in Nabiq, a Japanese provider of wireless broadband services for businesses, as part of Series A round of funding.
Carlyle, Unison seek buyer for Covalent Materials - report
The Carlyle Group and Japan's Unison Capital are reportedly seeking a buyer for semiconductor parts manufacturer Covalent Materials Corp.
Japan's WM Partners secures debut deal
Japanese secondaries investor WM Partners (WMP) has completed the debut transaction from its first fund, acquiring a 12% interest in B2B marketing platform Shanon.
Japan's AIC appoints Yasufumi Hirao as CEO
Japanese fund-of-funds Alternative investment Capital (AIC) has appointed Yasufumi Hirao as its new president and CEO.
Placement agents: Tapping tomorrow's investors
Asian LPs are a small but increasingly conspicuous part of the global institutional investor community. How can placement agents nurture pockets of growth in a potentially lucrative yet hugely imbalanced market?
J-Star's Kugami deal fits the mold
If anything is to be learnt from J-Star's acquisition of Japanese plastic-molded auto parts maker Kugami, it is that when one door closes another opens.
Japan VCs invest $4m in game developer Aiming
Japanese gaming company Aiming has received a JPY450 million ($4.3 million) round of investment from YJ Capital, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital and Mizuho Capital.
INCJ-backed JV acquires NZ-based packaging business
A Japanese joint venture - 40% owned by the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) - has acquired the pulp, paper and packaging (PPP) unit of New Zealand-based forest products company Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) for just over NZ$1 billion ($857 million)....
Korea's KIC targets 20% alternatives allocation
Korea Investment Corp. (KIC) will double its investments in alternative assets over the next 10 years. This would take the sovereign wealth fund’s allocation to the asset class to 20% out of a total corpus of $72 billion.
Cerberus-backed Seibu gains 11% on trading debut
Seibu Holdings, which counts Cerberus Capital Management as its largest shareholder, saw its stock rise 11% on its trading debut in Tokyo on Wednesday.
Baring Asia exits Net Japan to Orix
Baring Private Equity Asia has sold its stake in jewelry recycler Net Japan to Japanese financial services group Orix Corp.
J-Star buys majority stake in Japan plastic parts manufacturer
Japanese mid-market buyout firm J-Star has acquired a 70% stake in Kugami, a Yokohama-based plastic parts manufacturer serving the auto and electronics industries, for an undisclosed sum.