Japan
Japan biotech player raises $25m Series B
Japanese biotech developer Modulus Discovery has raised $25.5 million in Series B funding from a group of local VCs including SBI Investment.
Bain makes $1b bid for Japan care services provider
Bain Capital has submitted a buyout offer for Nichii Gakkan, a Tokyo-listed provider of aged care, childcare and medical support services, that values the company at approximately JPY109.5 billion ($1 billion).
CLSA acquires Japan IT services provider
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has acquired a majority stake in Japanese IT services provider Earth Technology for an undisclosed sum.
Hamilton Lane backs Polaris-led privatization of Japan's Sogo Medical
Hamilton Lane has participated as a co-investor in a Japanese take-private for the first time, supporting a Polaris Capital Group-led tender offer for Sogo Medical Holdings, a Japanese pharmacy chain operator and B2B healthcare management platform.
Fund focus: Coral targets Japan's Series B gap
Having previously raised dedicated vehicles to support follow-on rounds for Japanese start-ups, Coral Capital has gone a step further with a fund dedicated to the strategy
Advantage raises $790m for sixth Japan buyout fund
The middle-market private equity firm expects COVID-19 to generate more deal flow as founder-owners and corporates come under stress
Coronavirus & North Asia VC: Diverging fortunes
Speed of response to COVID-19 has led to differing outcomes for VC investment in Korea and Japan. But structural issues are also a factor
Singapore GP launches $500m Japan-Israel tech fund
Singapore private equity firm Chartered Group has teamed up with Israel’s Ministry of Defense to launch a Japan-Israel cross-border technology fund targeting $500 million.
Risa targets $139m for Japan corporate solutions fund
Risa Partners, a Japanese mid-size investment bank controlled by a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, has launched its fifth corporate solutions fund with a target of JPY15 billion ($139.5 million).
Japan's Hiroshima Venture launches start-up, SME fund
Japan’s Hiroshima Venture Capital has established a JPY1 billion ($9.3 million) fund that will invest in local start-ups and small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs).
Deal focus: Integral discovers booming cosmetics niche
Now under private equity ownership, T-Garden is credited with pioneering fashion model-led contact lens marketing in Japan - and helping an often-overlooked market creep into the mainstream
Japan's Coral launches $25m growth fund
Coral Capital, formerly known as 500 Startups Japan, has set up a JPY2.7 billion ($25 million) growth fund to help top-performing portfolio companies navigate the COVID-19 downturn.
Japan's Paidy tops up Series C round
Japanese payments start-up Paidy has topped up its Series C round with an additional commitment from Itochu Corporation. It brings the company's total capital raised to date to $281 million.
HarbourVest hires Japan Post Insurance's alternatives head
Tadasu Matsuo, head of alternative investments at Japan Post Insurance (JPI), has joined HarbourVest Partners as a managing director where he will co-lead Japan coverage alongside Tatsuya Kubo.
L Catterton backs Japan cosmetics brand Etvos
Consumer-focused private equity firm L Catterton Asia has confirmed a significant investment of undisclosed size in Japanese cosmetics brand Etvos.
Japan's GPIF names ex-Goldman executive as CIO
Eiji Ueda, formerly co-head of securities for Goldman Sachs in Asia Pacific, has replaced Hiromichi Mizuno as CIO of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF).
KKR hires BAML executive in Japan
KKR has recruited Hidekazu Harada, previously co-head of Japan investment banking at Bank of America Merrill Lynch (BAML), as a managing director for its private equity team in Tokyo.
Japan mobile banking player gets $45m Series C
Kyash, a Tokyo-based mobile banking start-up, has received $45 million in Series C funding led by Greenspring Associates and Goodwater Capital.
Fund focus: Carlyle stokes Japan bullishness
Expecting to see a surge in deal flow driven by divestments and succession planning situations, The Carlyle Group has bulked up to $2.3 billion for its latest Japan fund
Japanese AI edge developer secures Series B funding
AISing, a Japan-based developer of edge artificial intelligence (AI) technology used in industrial robots and self-driving cars, has raised JPY700 million ($6.5 million) in Series B funding.
Carlyle raises $2.3b for fourth Japan buyout fund
The Carlyle Group has raised JPY258 billion ($2.3 billion) for its fourth Japan buyout fund. The vehicle is more than twice the size of its predecessor, which closed at JPY119.5 billion in 2015.
Deal focus: UTEC positions Tricog for Japan expansion
University of Tokyo Edge Capital built an unusual bridge between the start-up worlds of Japan and India when backed Tricog's artificial intelligence-enabled healthcare solution
Japan's Jafco closes sixth flagship VC fund at $765m
Jafco, Japan’s largest venture capital investor, has confirmed a final close on its sixth flagship fund at the hard cap of JPY80 billion ($765 million).
Coronavirus in Asia: Ongoing analysis
Coronavirus concerns among GPs not solely focused on China vary based on their direct or indirect exposure to China, but gauging private equity responses to the crisis is like chasing a moving target