North Asia
Advantage to acquire Japan massage salon chain Riraku
Advantage Partners has agreed to buy Japanese massage salon chain Riraku for an undisclosed sum. The mid-market buyout firm is acquiring the business from the founder and CEO and other shareholders.
CyberAgent, Gree, GMO invest in Japan's Kaizen platform
CyberAgent Ventures, Gree Ventures and GMO Venture Partners have together invested $800,000 in Kaizen platform, the Japanese start-up behind website service planBCD.
Unitas, CCMP set for 3.5x return as Atlas Copco buys Edwards for $1.6b
Unitas Capital will make up to 3.5x its money on Edwards Group after Sweden’s Atlas Copco agreed to buy the specialist vacuum products developer for approximately $1.6 billion, including debt. Unitas and CCMP Capital have owned the business since 2007...
Orrick strengthens Japan M&A, PE practice
Orrick has appointed Edward S. Johnson as a partner in its M&A and private equity practice in Tokyo. He joins from Paul Hastings, where he previously served as managing partner of the Tokyo office.
Japan's Alt Plus buys stake in VC-backed Korean mobile game developer
Japanese mobile game developer Alt Plus, has acquired a 10% stake in Emagine, a Korean mobile game start-up backed by Lead Capital Management and Ant Capital Partners. Financial details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Japan's Globis invests $4.2m in news aggregator
Globis Capital Partners has invested JPY420 million ($4.29 million) in Tokyo-based Gocro, the start-up behind news aggregation app SmartNews.
Korea's IMM, Mirae invest $224m in POSCO Specialty Steel
IMM Private Equity and Mirae Asset Private Equity have together invested KRW250 billion ($223.6 million) for a 24% stake in POSCO Specialty Steel (POSCO SS), an affiliate of national steelmaker POSCO. POSCO SS abandoned an IPO effort in December – set...
Fab raises $5m from Itochu Corp
Online lifestyle store Fab.com has raised $5 million from Japan’s Itochu Corporation, as the two develop a joint venture agreement to bring the company to Japan in 2014.
Bain to sell Domino's Japan for $123m
Bain Capital will sell a 75% stake in Domino’s Pizza Japan (DPJ) to Australia-listed Domino’s Pizza Enterprises (DPE) for JPY12 billion ($123.4 million). The buyer will provide JPY9 billion of new debt funding, implying an enterprise value for the whole...
Korea's KIC to boost alternatives exposure to as much as $10b
Korea Investment Corp. (KIC) is planning to triple its allocation to alternative assets - spending as much as $10 billion in an effort to diversify its portfolio.
Scentan Ventures takes part in $2m round for Japanese curation app Antenna
Singapore's Scentan Ventures has joined Tokyo-based strategic investor Macromill in investing JPY1.5 billion ($15.5 million) in Glider Associates, the Japanese startup behind smartphone curation app Antenna, for a 25.6% stake.
CLSA exits Japan apparel business Baroque to CDH, Belle International
CLSA Capital Partners has exited its majority stake in apparel business Baroque Japan to China's CDH Investments and Chinese women's shoe retailer Belle International.
Draper Nexus leads $2m round for Japan travel site startup Trippiece
Draper Nexus Venture Partners has led a JPY200 million ($2 million) round of investment in Tokyo-based travel site startup Trippiece.
Japan's secondaries surge
Secondary deals in Japan spiked in 2011 as buyouts from before the global financial crisis found an exit. With the country's economic prospects improving, industry participants expect the flow to continue
Axa to exit Arkadin to Japan's NTT
Axa Private Equity has entered exclusive negotiations with Japan's NTT Communications Corporation to sell its stake in collaboration software as a service (SaaS) provider Arkadin.
Jafco invests $10m in lunch box delivery start-up
Japanese VC firm Jafco Ventures has invested JPY1 billion ($10 million) in Star Festival, the start-up behind lunchbox delivery and catering site Gochikuru.com.
Advantage Partners exits Japan's Kazaka Securities
Japanese mid-market buyout firm Advantage Partners has sold its stake in Kazaka Securities to Osaka-based Naito Securities. The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.
MBK in exclusive talks with ING to acquire Korea unit - report
MBK Partners has reportedly entered into exclusive talks regarding the sale of ING Groep's South Korean life insurance business. The private equity firm is said to have offered KRW1.8 trillion ($1.6 billion) for the entire operation.
Japan's Advantage reaches final close on $200m bridge fund
Japanese mid-market buyout firm Advantage Partners has closed its latest fund, having reached the JPY20 billion ($200 million) hard cap after about five months in the market.
Daiwa, Intec invest $2m in Japan's Repica
Japan's Daiwa PI Partners and Intec IT Capital have invested JPY200 million ($2 million) in Repica, a company that develops CRM solutions for Japanese businesses.
Baring Asia completes Korea parcel delivery buyout
Baring Private Equity Asia has announced the acquisition of South Korean courier firm Logen. Details of the deal, said to be worth around KRW160 billion ($140 million), emerged last month prior to closing. The seller is Mirae Asset Private Equity.
Nomura, Next Capital-backed Ashikaga files for IPO - report
Ashikaga Holdings, which is backed by Nomura Financial Partners and Next Capital Partners, has applied to list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange (TSE) for what could be a $1 billion IPO.
Carlyle registers third Japan fund
The Carlyle Group has registered its third Japan buyout fund with the US Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). Although initial reports put the target at $2 billion, sources told AVCJ in June that the GP was looking for around $1 billion.
INCJ invests $27m in Japan patent fund
Government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has invested JPY2.75 billion ($27.8 million) in a fund that will buy unused patents and license them to domestic start-ups.