Japan
Japan private equity: Heating up
Private equity is seeing more succession planning and corporate carve-out opportunities in Japan, but there is a risk that exuberance might turn irrational
Government-backed Cool Japan invests in 500 Startups fund
Cool Japan Fund, a government-backed venture program for promoting cultural exports, has agreed to invest up to $10 million in a recently launched Japan-focused vehicle managed by 500 Startups.
Japan consumer: Beyond borders
Private equity investors see an opportunity in taking advantage of the popularity of Japanese brands in other Asian markets. Making these strategies work requires patience and a tolerance for risk
Japanese LPs: The end of the beginning
Japan’s GPIF has finally signaled its readiness to invest in alternative assets. Though contributions will likely be slow to come and limited at first, the barest hint of its intentions has wide-ranging ramifications
Japan technology: Light switch
OLED technology is seen as a quantum leap forward for digital panels, but VC investors are reluctant to get on board. Japan may have to overcome this hesitancy to maintain market share in high-end electronics
Japan carve-outs: Chips off the block
Divestment activity by Japanese conglomerates is finally translating into meaningful private equity deal flow, but unwinding people and assets from longstanding parents presents execution challenges
Baring Asia to exit Japan's Joyful Honda
Baring Private Equity Asia will sell its minority stake in Joyful Honda, a Japan-based home improvement center operator, for JPY56.6 billion ($513 million) through participation in a tender offer launched by the company.
PE and Islamic finance: Underlying themes
Encouraging trends in population, social mobility, commodities, technology, and governance standards are converging on Islamic finance. PE plays a small role with strong upside in Asia
Japan's Unison buys local bar and restaurant chain
Unison Capital has acquired Dinamix, an operator of Japanese-style bar and restaurants, for an undisclosed sum.
Future Venture Capital to buy All Nippon Entertainment
Future Venture Capital (FVC) has agreed to acquire Japanese media company All Nippon Entertainment Works (ANEW) from government-owned investor Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ).
Bain to make full exit from Domino's Pizza Japan
Bain Capital Private Equity is set to exit Domino’s Pizza Japan, having exercised a put option requiring Domino’s Pizza Enterprises (DPE) - which acquired a majority interest in the business in 2013 – to buy its 25% stake.
Big beast: The SoftBank Vision Fund
SoftBank's global technology fund is significant enough to redraw the private equity investment opportunity in certain industries, if not to redraw the industries themselves
Japan’s Gree Ventures closes second fund at $67m
Gree Ventures, which was set up by Japanese mobile gaming company Gree, has closed its second early-stage VC fund at $67 million.
Hynix joins bid for Toshiba's memory chip unit as PE firms circle
South Korean memory chip manufacturer SK Hynix has joined a group that is bidding for Toshiba’s Nand flash memory business amid reports that Bain Capital has submitted an offer of $10 billion for the asset.
SoftBank achieves $93b first close on global tech fund
SoftBank Group Corp. has reached a first close of more than $93 billion on its global technology investment fund. A final close of $100 billion is expected within six months.
Japanese digital marketing player receives $28m
From Scratch, a Japanese digital marketing platform, has raised approximately JPY3.2 billion ($28.4 million) in funding from Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Rakuten Ventures, as well as several existing investors.
J-Star acquires Japan tutoring business
J-Star has purchased the tutoring businesses of Japan’s Alpha Corporation for an undisclosed amount.
Endeavour United to buy Pizza Hut Japan
Endeavour United, a GP established by the team behind turnaround investor Phoenix Capital, has agreed to buy Pizza Hut Japan and Phoenix Foods from Mitsubishi Corporation-controlled KFC Holdings Japan.
Japan fundraising: Middle market momentum
Japan’s buyout space has been thrust into the spotlight following a flurry of fundraising activity by domestic private equity firms. Can the middle market retain its sweet spot status?
CLSA closes third Japan fund at $400m hard cap
CLSA Capital Partners (CLSA CP) has become the seventh private equity firm to close a Japanese mid-market fund since the start of the year, hitting the hard cap of $400 million for its third vehicle.
Japan’s Orix to acquire 22% of PE-backed Ormat
Japanese financial services group Orix Corp. has agreed to buy a 22.1% stake in Israeli geothermal energy producer Ormat Technologies for $627 million from an investor group led by PE firm FIMI Opportunity Funds.
Polaris closes fourth Japan fund on $665m
Polaris Capital Group has hit the hard cap of JPY75 billion ($665 million) for its fourth Japan fund, becoming the third Japanese mid-market GP to announce a final close in the space of a week, and the sixth since the start of the year.
CVC appoints Sumitomo Mitsui executive as Japan president
CVC Capital partners has named Nobuaki Kurumatani, a former executive at Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group, as the president of its Japan operations.
Advantage closes fifth Japan fund at $535m
Advantage Partners has reached a final close on its fifth Japan-focused mid-market buyout fund at the hard cap of JPY60 billion ($535 million).