Japan
Polaris wins PSERS support for $1.4b Japan fund
Polaris Capital Group has won support from Pennsylvania Public School Employees’ Retirement System (PSERS) for a Japan buyout fund of up to JPY150 billion ($1.4 billion), twice the size of its 2016 vintage predecessor.
Q&A: Unison Capital's Tatsuo Kawasaki
Tatsuo Kawasaki, a partner at Unison Capital, on supporting existing investments and making new ones, expectations of distress in Japan, and why a platform approach makes sense for healthcare
Jafco backs Japan VR game developer
Japan’s Jafco has led an $8.5 million Series A round for local virtual reality (VR) game developer Thirdverse.
Bain launches Japan fund
Bain Capital has launched a dedicated Japan fund with a target of JPY100 billion ($946 million) as local and foreign managers ready themselves for a much-anticipated rise in buyout deal flow in the country.
Japan voice AI player RevComm raises $14m Series A
RevComm, a Japan-based voice recognition artificial intelligence (AI) technology provider, has closed its Series A round at JPY1.5 billion ($14.2 million) with support from several local VCs.
J-Star acquires Japan aquaculture business
Japanese lower middle market private equity firm J-Star has acquired local aquaculture industry supplier Dainichi for an undisclosed sum.
PE-owned Japan flash memory player postpones IPO
Kioxia Holdings, the Japanese flash memory business that a Bain Capital-led consortium acquired from Toshiba two years ago for an enterprise valuation of JPY2 trillion ($18.7 billion) has pulled the plug on its Tokyo IPO.
Japan gaming start-up raises Series A, hits $1b valuation
Playco, a Japan-headquartered mobile gaming start-up, has simultaneously formally launched operations and become a unicorn, raising $100 million in Series A funding at a valuation of $1 billion.
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.