J-Star
Private equity firm names: A brand apart
As private equity becomes more of a mainstream asset class, brand-consciousness kicks in. Finding a suitable name can be a challenge, particularly when operating in multiple markets and languages
J-Star to exit healthcare firm HCM to Alshok Group
Japanese security firm Alshok Group has agreed to acquire Tokyo-based healthcare service provider HCM Corporation, paving an exit for mid-market GP J-Star.
J-Star seals first secondary exit
Japan has seen 61 private equity secondary exits since 2011 – more than the combined total for the 10 years before that. This surge in activity can largely be traced back to buyouts from the years leading up the global financial crisis. Investors want...
Japan's J-Star sees 8x return with first secondary exit
Japanese investor J-Star has exited Burn Holdings, a local repair business that primarily serves property developers, to Shinsei Corporate Investment and Creation Capital. The gross return multiple is said to be 8x.
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.
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.
Japan regulation: Taxing tactics
Investors are concerned about the potential repercussions for the economy – and their portfolio companies – of Japan’s staged consumer tax hike. Could it really derail the country’s fragile recovery?
Japan's J-Star appoints new operating principal
Japanese mid-market buyout firm J-Star has appointed former biotech professional Yuki Kashiyama as its operating principal.
J-Star makes sweet exit from Tokachi
Gifts are a big part of Japanese tradition. Whether you are making an introduction, expressing thanks or simply marking a change in the seasons, an exchange of gifts is usually required. A large section of the country’s consumer sector relies on providing...
J-Star completes $6.6m exit of sweets maker Tokachi
J-Star has completed its exit of a 100% stake Japanese sweet maker Tokachi to Tokyo-listed Mediaflag in deal valued at JPY644 million ($6.6 million). According to sources familiar with the matter, the GP has generated a 1.3x return on its investment.
J-Star buys ‘fourth hand’ Primagest
Primagest, a firm whose primary business is using optical character recognition (OCR) to turn documents in data, appears every bit the tech-savvy up and comer. However, it has been doing the same thing – in one form or another – for 45 years.
J-Star ups stake in Primagest
Japanese GP J-Star has completed its acquisition of a majority stake in image processing firm Primagest. The financial details of this second tranche of investment were not disclosed, but a source with direct knowledge of the matter said the mid-market...
Mediaflag moves to acquire J-Star-owned sweets maker Tokachi
Mediaflag - a company which provides distribution support services to consumer goods manufacturers - has offered to acquire a 100% stake in Tokachi, a traditional Japanese sweets maker owned by Japanese mid-market buyout firm J-Star. The financial terms...
J-Star reaches $205m final close in Fund II
Japanese mid-market buyout firm J-Star has reached at JPY20.4billion ($205 million) final close on its second buyout fund.
J-Star, supply chain fund back Tokai Trim
Japanese mid-cap buyout firm J-Star has joined the Supply Chain Support Fund (SCSF) - a vehicle backed Japan Auto Parts Industries Association and Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) - in investing around JPY1-2billion ($10-20 million) in auto parts firm...
J-Star promotes Satoru Arakawa to partner
Japanese mid-cap buyout firm J-Star has promoted Satoru Arakawa to the position of partner.
Shogun diplomacy: Corporate management in Japan
History shows that Japan's corporate elites rarely take kindly to private equity knocking down their door. How can the outside investor best woo potential partners?
Japan fundraising: Sink or swim?
Investor sentiment is gradually turning on Japan. The big buyout funds must convince LPs there is sufficient deal flow in their portion of the market; the smaller players must figure out how to talk to foreign LPs
J-Star to close Fund II at $200m by end-June
Japanese mid-market GP J-Star will reach a final close on its JPY20 billion ($210 million) second fund by the end of this month, sources familiar with the matter told AVCJ.
The Abe effect: Japan's economic reforms
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe has unveiled aggressive economic reforms, sending the country's stock market up and its currency down. PE can benefit but longer-term change would be even more helpful
J-Star completes clothing brand turnaround
Three and-a-half years ago, Olive des Olive, a hip teen clothing-brand based out of Tokyo, was suffering. Having filed for bankruptcy, its reputation frayed by allegations that its clothing came from a factory in China and had been re-labeled “Made...
J-Star exit sees 3x return on Olive des Olive exit
J-Star, a Japanese mid-market buyout firm, has exited Tokyo clothing brand Olive des Olive to wholesale company Takisada-Osaka, securing a return of more than 3x and an estimated IRR of 35-40%.
The debt deadline: Japans's SMEs at a crossroads
Japan’s Debt Moratorium Law, seen by some industry participants as an impediment to PE deal flow in the last three year, is set to expire at the end of March. Does this spell new opportunities for the industry?
J-Star sees 3x return on consolidation play
Fierce competition among the middle-men in Japan’s pharmaceutical industry has created a healthy environment for private equity firms looking to consolidate a fragmented sector. Last week J-Star exited Apo Plus Station (APS) after a two-year holding...