Japan
Deal focus: Meltin plans next stage in human evolution
Japanese bio-robotics start-up Meltin has received a $17.7 million Series B round from a group of investors including SBI Investment with a view to revolutionizing human-machine interfaces
KKR-owned Calsonic Kansei agrees $7.1b bolt-on
Calsonic Kansei Corporation, a Japanese automotive components manufacturer acquired by KKR last year, has agreed to buy Fiat Chrysler Automobiles’ (FCA) components business for EUR6.2 billion ($7.1 billion).
SBI backs $18m round for Japan bio-robotics start-up
SBI Investment has joined a $17.7 million funding round for Meltin, a Japanese company focused on combining robotics with bio-signal processing.
3Q analysis: Favoring the few
Brand names dominate Asia fundraising to an unprecedented degree; China IPOs continue despite weakening markets; Taiwan, Australia and Singapore deliver an unlikely investment boost
CLSA makes Japan staffing bolt-ons
Outsourcing Investments (OSI), a Japanese business process outsourcing (BPO) firm owned by CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP), has acquired two domestic staffing service providers through bolt-on transactions.
J-Star buys Japanese fashion retailer
Japanese mid-market private equity firm J-Star has acquired Wego, a domestic fashion brand that has 185 stores nationwide and annual sales of more than JPY35 billion ($310 million).
Japan payments player Origami raises $60m Series C
Origami, a Tokyo-based mobile payments platform, has raised JPY6.6 billion ($60 million) in Series C funding from investors including SBI Investment, Union Pay International, Mitsui Sumitomo Card, and Credit Saison.
Baring Asia to invest $538m in Japan's Pioneer
Baring Private Equity Asia has agreed to invest up to JPY60 billion ($538 million) in Pioneer Corp, by subscribing to a new share issue by the struggling Japanese conglomerate.
NSSK acquires operator of Japan's Thank You Mart chain
Japanese private equity firm NSSK has acquired Elsonic, operator of the Thank You Mart retail chain, for an undisclosed sum.
KKR strengthens Japan private equity team
KKR has hired Kazuyuki Kido, who previously spent 20 years at SMBC Nikko Securities and Nikko Principal Investments, as a managing director in its Tokyo-based team.
Japan Post backs $94m round for US-based Cloudian
Japan Post Investment Corporation (JPIC), a direct investment unit launched by Japan Post Bank and Japan Post Insurance earlier this year, has joined a $94 million round for Japan-founded and US-based data company Cloudian.
CLSA Capital buys Japanese real estate services platform
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has acquired House Partner Holdings, a real estate services provider focusing on apartment rental agencies in the Greater Tokyo area.
Japan hotel-booking start-up raises $6.3m
Metro Engines, a Tokyo-based start-up that provides pricing tools for online hotel booking sites, has raised JPY700 million ($6.3 million) from a group of Japanese venture capital and strategic investors.
CLSA buys Japan beauty salon chain
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has agreed to acquire 100% of Japanese beauty salon operator Puzzle for an undisclosed sum via a bolt-on with industry counterpart Agu Group.
J-Star acquires Japan auto parts company
Japan’s J-Star has acquired a controlling stake in domestic auto parts remanufacturing company Honest for an undisclosed sum.
Visa joins Series C for Japan fintech player Paidy
Visa has committed an undisclosed amount to a Series C funding round for Paidy, a Japanese financial technology company with several VC and corporate backers.
Autonomous vehicles: Driving ambition
Asia’s driverless car space has become an increasingly popular investment destination in recent years, but a number of significant challenges must be resolved for the sector to gain widespread social acceptance
Advantage exits Japan's Fasford to Fuji
Advantage Partners has agreed to sell Japan-based Fasford Technology – a semiconductor components supplier it carved out from Hitachi three years ago – to Fuji Corporation.
Japan's Line launches $10m token fund in Korea
Japan’s Line Corporation has set up a $10 million fund via a Korean subsidiary that will make token investments in early-stage blockchain start-ups.
Q&A: GLP's Yoshiyuki Chosa
Warehouse operator GLP is betting heavily on technology as it builds out capacity in the Tokyo region. Yoshiyuki Chosa, president of the company’s Japan unit, sketches a difficult but rewarding logistics market
Tokio Marine agrees $163m sale of Japan's Izumi
Tokio Marine Capital has agreed to sell Izumi Products, a Japanese manufacturer of electric tools and home appliances, to Maxell Holdings and Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) for JPY18.2 billion ($163.5 million).
NSSK acquires Japanese hotel operator
Japanese private equity firm NSSK has acquired hospitality business Hotel Castle Inn Group for an undisclosed sum.
Longreach to buy majority stake in Japan's Fujitsu Component
The Longreach Group has agreed to acquire a majority stake in Fujitsu Component from its parent company and will launch a tender offer to buy the business outright at a valuation of JPY13.7 billion ($123.6 million).
TPG, ADIA back acquisition of agrochemicals producer Arysta
TPG Capital and Abu Dhabi Investment Authority (ADIA) have teamed up with India-listed UPL Corporation on a $4.2 billion acquisition of Arysta LifeScience, an agricultural chemicals manufacturer that originated in Japan.