Japan
Itochu leads $55m Series C for Japan's Paidy
Itochu Corporation has led a $55 million Series C funding round for Japanese financial technology company Paidy.
Yahoo acquires Japan's VC-backed Dely
Yahoo Japan has acquired Dely, the VC-backed Japanese start-up that operates online recipe-sharing service Kurashiru.
Trans Pacific Partnership: A rising tide
When the US withdrew from the Trans Pacific Partnership, the remaining participants decided to go it alone. Hopes are high that the deal will result in improved business environments across Southeast Asia
Jafco leads $11m round for Japan, US-based Trillium
Jafco has led an $11 million funding round for Trillium, a cybersecurity company focused on the autonomous vehicle industry based in Japan and the US.
Pantheon opens Tokyo office to service Japanese LPs
Pantheon has opened an office in Tokyo, having won separate account mandates from the likes of Japan’s Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF).
Nissan terminates sale of battery business to China's GSR Capital
Nissan Motor has abandoned plans to sell its electric battery operations and production facilities to GSR Capital because the Chinese private equity firm didn’t have sufficient funds to complete the transaction.
Hideyuki Inokuma to retire from Advantage Partners
Hideyuki Inokuma, who as chief administrative officer at Advantage Partners is responsible for investor relations as well as middle and back-office functions, is to retire from the Japan-based firm.
Advantage buys China restaurants from Papa John's
Advantage Partners has acquired 34 restaurants in Beijing and Tianjin from Papa John’s International. The investment is being made through the Japanese private equity firm’s $380 million debut Asia fund, which closed in May.
Japan VC: Acorns to oaks
Japan Post Investment Corporation seeks to fill the late-stage investment gap in Japan's venture capital market that local VC investors lack the capacity to address
VCs invest $8m in Singapore's Umitron
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan and D4V, a Japanese seed-stage investor set up by Genuine Startups and US design consultancy Ideo, have joined a S$11.2 million ($8.2 million) investment in Singaporean agricultural technology company Umitron.
World Innovation Lab raises $521m for US-Japan fund
World Innovation Lab (WiL) has raised $521 million for a US-Japan venture capital fund.
GPs require comprehensive responses to technology - AVCJ Forum
Private equity firms looking to future-proof their portfolios and enable companies to take advantage of technological change must be prepared to make significant alterations to their investment approach, industry participants told the AVCJ Japan Forum....
Japanese LPs emphasize portfolio diversification - AVCJ Forum
Diversification – by vintage, geography, and strategy – is the priority for Japan’s largest institutional investors as they develop their private equity programs, but they accept that portfolio-building can be challenging.
Japanese LPs value site visits with infrastructure managers
Japanese corporate pension funds are looking to increase their allocations to infrastructure, but they value the opportunity to visit managers before committing capital.
Activist investors in Japan: Governance gambit
Japan's governance reforms have given activist investors more leverage over underperforming companies. PE firms are well positioned to offer solutions to these targets in the form of carve-outs, privatizations, or partnerships
Japan robotics: Friendly faces
Japan’s home robotics industry is still in its early stages, and considerable work is required to create devices that can both appeal to everyday consumers and meaningfully contribute to their lives
Japan outbound M&A: Looking for growth
Unable to find growth at home, Japanese companies are looking for it overseas. Private equity investors can be helpful in everything from execution to integration, provided they can prove their credentials
Japan demographics: New normal, new entries
Private equity investors see potential for growth in Japan’s demographic contractions. Countercyclical and tangential consolidation strategies are the preferred gambits in a churning macro environment
Q&A: Intel Capital's Takayuki Sasaki
Takayuki Sasaki, investment director for Japan at Intel Capital, discusses how the country fits into Intel’s overall strategy along with Japan’s burgeoning entrepreneurial culture and corporate VC investment
Japanese LPs: Stirring giants
Japan’s LP landscape is in a state of flux as several large-scale investors ramp up their alternatives programs. The industry must prepare itself, in terms of personnel, structures, and expectations
Japan's Mercari set for $1.2b IPO
Japanese consumer-to-consumer marketplace Mercari – which has several VC backers – is set to raise JPY130.5 billion ($1.18 billion) in its domestic IPO after pricing the offering at the top end of the indicative range.
Japanese LPs: The long walk
PE firms have been trying to open up the Japanese LP market for years. Now that local institutions are showing a greater appetite for alternatives, it is unclear who will manage their investment programs
Talent shortages hinder Asian LPs' private equity returns
Asian LPs see a shortage of qualified professionals capable of executing investment programs as the biggest obstacle to improving their private equity returns.
Japan's Advantage buys Malaysian packaging manufacturer
Advantage Partners has completed the buyout of Malaysian plastic bottle manufacturer Plastic Centre through its recently closed $380 million Asia fund.