Japan
Japan's IMJ Investment rebrands as Spiral
Japanese GP IMJ Investment Partners has spun out from its corporate parent and changed its name to Spiral Ventures.
Bain makes another partial exit from Japan's Skylark
Bain Capital Private Equity has sold nearly one third of its remaining stake in Japanese restaurant operator Skylark, generating proceeds of JPY34.9 billion ($314 million).
Solar-focused GP invests $120m in Japan projects
GSSG Solar, a US private equity firm focused exclusively on the solar energy sector, has agreed to invest at least $120 million in an expansion of its Japanese portfolio.
MBK set for a second stint with Japanese jeweler Tasaki
MBK Partners has submitted a JPY31.5 billion ($286 million) buyout offer for Japanese jewelry retailer Tasaki & Co – a Tokyo-listed company it previously backed in 2008 and exited seven years later.
VCs invest $33m in Japan's Dely
Jafco, YJ Capital, and Gumi Ventures have taken part in a JPY3.7 billion ($33 million) funding round for Japanese online food media start-up Dely.
KKR seals second Japan tender offer with $4.5b Calsonic deal
Shareholders in automotive components manufacturer Calsonic Kansei Corporation have accepted a JPY498.3 billion ($4.5 billion) buyout offer from KKR as the GP completed its second tender offer for a Japanese company within a day of concluding the first....
KKR completes $1.3b tender offer for Japan's Hitachi Koki
KKR has completed the first of two tender offers it has in process for Japanese listed companies after shareholders in power tools manufacturer Hitachi Koki voted in favor of a JPY147.1 billion ($1.28 billion) buyout offer.
Japan's Moneytree raises $9m Series B
Japan-based SBI investment has led a JPY1 billion ($9 million) Series B funding round for domestic financial technology services company Moneytree.
VIDEO: Mark Chiba, The Longreach Group
Mark Chiba, group chairman & partner of The Longreach Group, discusses mid-market buyouts in North Asia
Japan's INCJ takes control of $87m pharma spin-out
The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has teamed up with two pharmaceutical players to invest JPY10 billion ($87 million) in the creation of a biotech spin-out. INCJ will hold a 70.5% stake in the company.
PE and smart manufacturing: Intelligent designs
The emergence of internet-connected manufacturing has created a new investment area that will impact adjacent sectors and even entire economies for decades to come. PE is among the early movers
Japanese accelerator launches $17.5m hardware fund
Darma Tech Labs, operator of Japanese hardware-focused accelerator Makers Boot Camp, plans to launch a JPY2 billion ($17.5 million) venture capital fund, with Kyoto Bank serving as the anchor LP.
PE and funeral services: Untapped eternity
Increased urgency around demographic tailwinds in the funeral services space has coincided with a spate of investment activity in recent years. Private equity could be well positioned to play a leading role
Comcast takes full ownership of Japan's USJ, PE firms to exit
Goldman Sachs, MBK Partners, Owl Creek Asset Management and PAG Asia Capital will fully exit Universal Studios Japan (USJ) after Comcast NBCUniversal agreed to buy the 49% of the company it doesn’t already own for JPY254.8 billion ($2.3 billion).
INCJ, First Eastern in partial exit from Japanese airline
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Hong Kong-based First Eastern Investment Group have agreed to sell a combined 28.3% holding in Japanese airline Peach Aviation for JPY30.4 billion ($271 million).
Permira-owned Sushiro targets $728m Japan IPO
Sushiro Global Holdings, a sushi restaurant chain majority-owned by Permira, is looking to raise up to JPY82.4 billion ($728 million) through an IPO in Tokyo.
Japan's Mercari buys VC-backed e-commerce player
Japanese e-commerce company Mercari has agreed to acquire domestic competitor Zawatt, setting up an exit for a number of venture capital backers.
Global Brain backs Japan cybersecurity, driverless car play
Global Brain has led a Series A funding round of undisclosed size for Trillium, a Japanese cybersecurity company focused on the emerging autonomous vehicle industry.
India's PE-backed ReNew raises $200m from Japan strategic
Indian PE-backed renewable energy producer ReNew Power Ventures has raised $200 million from Japanese energy producer JERA.
Softbank to buy US-listed Fortress for $3.3b
SoftBank Group has agreed to acquire Fortress Investment Group – which manages $36.7 billion in alternatives – for approximately $3.3 billion in cash. It puts the Japanese company on course to become one of the world’s largest asset managers.
Fund focus: CITIC rides the Japan wave
CITIC Capital raises $268 million for third Japan fund, benefiting from an upturn in investor sentiment that should prove to be a boon for Japanese GPs in general
Azerbaijan fund commits $100m to e-Shang Redwood's Japan vehicle
Azerbaijan’s state oil fund (SOFAZ) has agreed to invest $100 million in a Japan-focused logistics vehicle being raised by e-Shang Redwood (ESR), a pan-Asian logistics services company that has a string of private equity backers.
Beyond Next Ventures leads $3.4m round for Japan's CureApp
Japan-based investor Beyond Next Ventures has led a JPY380 million ($3.4 million) round for domestic healthcare software developer CureApp.
Longreach achieves first close on North Asia buyout fund
The Longreach Group is understood to have reached a first close of approximately $200 million on its third North Asia-focused mid-market buyout fund, which has a particular focus on Japan. The full target is $650 million.