Japan
Japan's Seven Dreamers receives $60m Series B round
Seven Dreamers Laboratories, a Japan-based manufacturer of personal-use devices, has raised a $60 million Series B round of funding from Panasonic, SBI Investment and construction company Daiwa House Industry.
Investors weigh maneuvering options in response to global volatility – AVCJ Forum
Recent signs of global volatility have prompted PE investors to consider a divergence in business dynamics and economic trajectories between the US and Europe and Asia, industry participants told the AVCJ Forum.
GPs see the Asia risk premium narrowing - AVCJ Forum
Private equity investors still expect a risk premium in Asia, although given uncertainty in Western markets and the relative stability in Asia’s more mature economies, it is debatable how long the status quo will last, industry participants told the...
Asia’s LP landscape
Asia is increasingly a target for private equity firms on the fundraising trail, but the region’s LP base can be difficult to penetrate, with huge variations in size, appetite and sophistication
Japan's Future Venture Capital expands into US
Tokyo-listed VC firm Future Venture Capital (FVC) has entered the US market, establishing a presence in Fort Collins, Colorado.
Q&A: Japan Post Bank's Tokihiko Shimizu
Japan Post Bank, which has $2 trillion in assets, launched its alternatives division earlier this year. Tokihiko Shimizu, head of private markets investment, discusses where and how the group is likely to invest
Japan's Monstar Lab gets $2.4m round
Monstar Lab, a Japan-based company specializing in global outsourcing services for IT companies, has raised JPY250 million ($2.4 million) from investors including Resona Capital.
Japan's INCJ invests $10m in Treasure Data
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has invested $10 million in Treasure Data, a Silicon Valley-based big data start-up founded by two Japanese entrepreneurs.
KKR launches third Asian fund
KKR has launched its third pan-Asian fund, which has a target of up to $7 billion. The private placement memorandum was issued last week, according to a source familiar with the situation.
New Horizon pursues legal action over Japan's Sagami
Japanese GP New Horizon Capital has initiated legal action against Sagami, a domestic clothing retailer which it had targeted for acquisition. It claims the company accepted a weaker offer from rival PE bidder Aspirant Group.
Deal focus: J-Star helps Asiro bring law online
Asiro came into being as a means of addressing the demand-supply imbalance in Japan's legal services industry. New owner J-Star will help the company expand its platform
J-Star owned insurer makes bolt-on acquisition
J-Star will take control of Japanese insurance provider Hunel FEA through a bolt-on acquisition by existing portfolio company Nihon Hoken Service.
J-Star acquires Japan’s Asiro
J-Star has acquired Japan’s Asiro, an online marketing platform provider for lawyers, for an undisclosed sum.
Japanese strategic buys Mactac from Platinum Equity
Japanese adhesives producer Lintec Corporation has agreed to buy US-headquartered labels manufacturer Mactac from Platinum Equity for $375 million.
Corporate carve-outs: Who's selling?
Certain markets in Asia represent a target-rich environment for corporate carve-outs, but private equity firms must be patient in waiting for deals to emerge
Deal focus: OSI fills the labor gap
With Japan's demographic crisis promising more labor shortages, CLSA Capital Partners hopes to ride a coming wave of growth in the staffing services industry
CLSA acquires Japanese BPO firm
CLSA Capital Partners has acquired Japanese business process outsourcing (BPO) company Outsourcing Investments (OSI).
Baring Asia assumes control of fashion label Cath Kidston
Baring Private Equity Asia has acquired TA Associates’ remaining stake in Cath Kidston, taking control of the UK lifestyle retailer.
Genuine Startups, Ideo launch Japanese VC fund
Japan’s Genuine Startups and US design company Ideo have launched a Tokyo-based venture capital unit that will invest in domestic early-stage companies with plans for international expansion.
Longreach agrees Japan BPO carve-out from Olympus
The Longreach Group has agreed to Nippon Outsourcing Corporation, a business process outsourcing (BPO) subsidiary of Olympus Corporation. The transaction size was not disclosed.
J-Star buys Japan aged care services provider
J-Star will take control of Japanese aged care provider Live Cross through a bolt-on acquisition by the firm’s existing portfolio company Kairos Tokyo.
Japan's INCJ invests $102.6m in domestic VC funds
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has committed up to JPY10.4 billion ($102.6 million) to funds managed by domestic VC firms MedVenture Partners and Universal Materials Incubator.
Eight Roads leads $12m round for Japan's Toreta
Eight Roads Ventures Japan has led a JPY1.2 billion ($11.8 million) investment in Toreta, a Tokyo-based reservation and customer management platform aimed at restaurants.
Ant Capital buys Japanese cosmetics business
Ant Capital Partners has acquired Japan-based Sojitz Cosmetics for an undisclosed sum. The business will be renamed Kagayaku Cosmetics.