Japan
Deal focus: NSSK completes digital transformation
Converting Bunkasha Publishing's library of manga library from paper to digital form was a priority for NSSK. New owner Beaglee will now plug this content into its online distribution platform
CLSA closes fourth Japan fund at $450m
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has closed its fourth Japan mid-market fund at $450 million after approximately three months in the market.
NSSK sells Japanese manga publisher
NSSK has sold Bunkasha Publishing, a Japanese media group focused on manga comics in both print and digital formats, to local internet content provider Beaglee.
Japan's 31 Ventures establishes second fund with $81m
Japan-based 31 Ventures, a VC firm established by local investor Global Brain and property developer Mitsui Fudosan, has launched a second fund of JPY8.5 billion ($81 million).
CLSA acquires Japan fitness club operator
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has acquired Japanese 24-hour fitness club operator Worldplus for an undisclosed sum.
Bain pursues $374m acquisition of Japan pharmacy business
Bain Capital has agreed to acquire Japanese pharmacy chain store operator Kirindo Holdings through a tender offer that values the business at JPY39.7 billion ($374 million).
Baring-owned Vistra acquires Japan accounting firm
Vistra, a Hong Kong-based corporate services provider and fund administrator owned by Baring Private Equity Asia, has acquired Japanese accounting specialist Routes for an undisclosed sum.
Deal focus: Putting Asia on the air mobility map
Japan’s SkyDrive leads Asia in the niche but potentially society-altering category of flying cars. A $37 million Series B round marks the latest step in a long safety build-out and public acceptance process
CPPIB backs GLP Japan logistics fund
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) has committed JPY25 billion ($235 million) to a fund managed by PE-owned warehouse operator GLP that is said to be the largest open-ended logistics vehicle in Japan.
Deal focus: Japan sees more mid-cap carve-outs
Having completed its first-ever corporate carve-out in July, Japan's J-Star has now racked up its second with the acqusition of waste management business Sincere Corporation from NEC
Japan flying car developer gets $37m Series B
Development Bank of Japan has joined a JPY3.9 billion ($37 million) Series B round for Tokyo-based flying car developer SkyDrive.
NSSK buys Japanese sports nutrition business
NSSK has acquired the sports nutrition division of Japan’s Dome Corporation, which is best known as the local distributor for US sportswear brand Under Armour.
Japan's J-Star acquires waste management business
Japanese private equity firm J-Star has acquired local waste management operator Sincere Corporation for an undisclosed sum.
Blackstone agrees $2.3b carve-out from Japan's Takeda
Japan’s Takeda Pharmaceutical has agreed to sell a portfolio of over-the-counter (OTC) medicines and health products to The Blackstone Group for JPY242 billion ($2.3 billion).
Japan's iSpace raises $28m Series B
Japanese lunar exploration company iSpace has raised $28 million Series B round led by Incubate Fund.
Baring Asia mulls challenging for Japan's Nichii Gakkan
Baring Private Equity Asia is poised to formally enter the bidding for Tokyo-listed aged care provider Nichii Gakkan, having approached certain shareholders regarding a JPY146 billion ($1.38 billion) deal.
Ant Capital targets $253m buyout of Japan's Softbrain
Ant Capital Partners has launched a tender offer for Softbrain, a Japanese sales and marketing software developer, that values the business at approximately JPY26.9 billion ($253.1 million).
Airbus Ventures sets up Japan office
Airbus Ventures, the US-based VC unit of European aeronautics giant Airbus, has set up an office in Japan and received investment from a number of Japanese investors for its third fund.
Japan's ACA exits aged care business
Tokyo-listed healthcare provider Solasto will acquire 100% of Japan Elderly Care Service for JPY2.3 billion ($22 million), providing an exit for local private equity firm ACA Investments.
Globis joins $32.6m round for Japan's Photosynth
Globis Capital Partners has joined a JPY3.5 billion ($32.6 million) Series C round for Photosynth, a Japanese internet-of-things (IoT) developer specializing in smart locks for office buildings.
Bain sweetens offer for Japan's Nichii Gakkan
Bain Capital has increased its offer price for Tokyo-listed aged care provider Nichii Gakkan – after a Hong Kong hedge fund criticized the board for not doing enough to protect the interests of minority shareholders – valuing the business at JPY122 billion...
Advantage shuffles team for succession, strategic reasons
Advantage Partners has appointed Shinichiro Kita as head of its Japan buyout team as part of succession planning within the Japanese firm. The change also ties into efforts to create more synergies between the buyout operation and an expanded public markets...
Asia online gaming: Game on
Videogaming has outgrown entertainment and media to become a sector unto itself, with new angles for exposure multiplying rapidly. E-sports is an area to watch
Deal focus: J-Star maneuvers Japan's restaurant lull
J-Star's acquisition of Pepper Lunch is driven by a willingness to look past COVID-19 dislocations and focus on the long-term fundamentals of the fast-casual dining space in Japan