Japan
Longreach sells Japanese jeweler to Integral
The Longreach Group has exited Primo Japan to Integral Corporation for an undisclosed sum. This makes Integral the jewelry retailer’s fourth consecutive private equity owner.
AVCJ Awards 2020: Fundraising of the Year - Large Cap: The Carlyle Group
With twice as much dry powder as in its previous Japan vintage, The Carlyle group expects mega-deals and private equity participation to increase
Carlyle-backed consortium sweetens offer for Japan Asia Group
The Carlyle Group and the chairman of Japan Asia Group (JAG) have doubled the size of their tender offer for the Tokyo-listed company following pressure from an activist investor. The chairman is contributing most of the additional equity.
Dimension leads $48m round for Japan's Nyle
Japanese VC firm Dimension has led a JPY5 billion ($48.3 million) round for local digital marketing and mobile media business Nyle.
Monument Group recruits Japan representative
Placement agent Monument Group has appointed Hiroshi Nishimuro, formerly of Morgan Stanley, as its Japan representative to lead fundraising efforts and manage GP relationships in the country.
Carlyle faces activist challenge to Japan Asia Group deal
An investment firm with ties to renowned Japanese activist investor Yoshiaki Murakami is challenging The Carlyle Group’s JPY37 ($355 million) bid for Japan Asia Group by launching a tender offer of its own.
SoftBank Ventures backs Japanese sneaker marketplace
SoftBank Ventures Asia has led a JPY2.2 billion ($21.2 million) Series B round for Japan’s Soda, operator of the online sneaker marketplace Snrk Dunk.
Japan energy solutions buyback continues J-Star's exit run
J-Star, a Japanese lower middle-market GP, has announced its third liquidity event in the space of a week with the exit energy savings solutions provider ESCO via a buyout by company management.
Japan's J-Star confirms two exits
Japan’s J-Star has confirmed trade sale exits of healthcare coverage specialist NHS Insurance and fire safety equipment supplier Yokoi Manufacturing.
Carlyle buys Japanese X-ray equipment maker
The Carlyle Group has acquired a majority stake in Rigaku Corporation, a Japanese manufacturer of X-ray equipment, for an enterprise valuation of approximately JPY100 billion ($970 million).
Applied Materials revises offer for Japan's Kokusai Electric
Applied Materials, which agreed to acquire Japanese semiconductor industry supplier Kokusai Electric from KKR 18 months ago, has increased its offer for the company from $2.2 billion to $3.5 billion.
Blackstone adds ex-government advisor to its Japan ranks
The Blackstone Group has appointed Eiichi Hasegawa, who most recently served as an advisor to former Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, as a senior advisor in the country.
PAG names Japan PE co-heads
PAG has named Koichi Ito, previously of Credit Suisse, and Yoichi Tamagawa, formerly of Marunouchi Capital, as co-heads of its Japan private equity business.
PE-backed WealthNavi soars on Tokyo debut
Japanese financial technology start-up WealthNavi gained 100% on its trading debut following a JPY17.9 billion ($172.9 million) IPO that facilitated partial exits for Gree Ventures, Infinity Venture Partners, and Global Brain.
Fund focus: Integral scales up again
Riding on a wave of IPOs that have returned the principal on Fund II and given Fund III a strong start, Integral Corporation has secured $1.18 billion in commitments for its fourth Japan fund
Advantage, Tokyo Century agree Japan health foods deal
Advantage Partners has teamed up with Tokyo Century Corp. and Japanese strategic Euglena to acquire Q’Sai, a local health foods and cosmetics business, from Coca-Cola Bottlers Japan Holdings.
J-Star acquires Japan drug wholesaler Genex
Japanese private equity firm J-Star has taken a controlling stake in local pharmaceuticals wholesaler Genex for an undisclosed sum.
Deal focus: Japan GPs see upside in specialized staffing
CLSA Capital Partners’ sale of Japanese staffing services player Qit to Advantage Partners reveals enduring private equity interest in potentially shaky categories made sturdy by specialization
Japan's Integral completes $1.2b fundraise
Integral Corporation has become the second independent Japanese private equity manager since the global financial crisis to surpass $1 billion in fund size, closing its fourth mid-market buyout vehicle at the hard cap of JPY123.8 billion ($1.18 billion)....
Japan's JIC invests four local start-ups
Japan Investment Corporation (JIC) has backed four local start-ups via its new VC unit. This includes a JPY3 billion ($29 million) commitment to business digitization consultant Monstar Lab.
VC unit of Japan's KLab spins out, rebrands as Anobaka
KVP, the VC unit of Japanese mobile games company KLab, has spun out as an independent entity under the name Anobaka.
Ex-Capital Dynamics executive gets Japan fund-of-funds mandate
Kazushige Kobayashi, formerly of Capital Dynamics, has won a fund-of-funds mandate from the Tokyo government to be managed by a dedicated team set up under Asian alternatives group MCP Asset Management.
CLSA sells Japan outsourcing business to Advantage
CLSA Capital Partners has sold Japan-based industrial sector human resources outsourcing business Qit to Advantage Partners for an undisclosed sum.
Japan's MedVenture closes second fund at $95m
MedVenture Partners, a Japanese VC firm focused on medical devices, has closed its second fund with JPY9.9 billion ($95 million) in commitments.