Japan
Japan analytics player Abeja raises $2m
Japanese corporate analytics platform Abeja has raised JPY200 million ($2 million) in Series B funding from PNB Inspire Partners, a domestic investor aimed at helping companies expand into Southeast Asia and Islamic countries.
Fidelity, DBJ lead $20m round for Japan's Raksul
Fidelity Investments and the Development Bank of Japan (DBJ) have led a JPY2.1 billion ($20.3 million) round of funding for Japanese online printing start-up Raksul.
Deal focus: VCs back Japan's fintech underdog
As Japan's traditional financial institutions take time to address demand for online payment services, start-ups are trying to corner the market. Exchange Corporation's Series B round is intended to make sure it is one of them
Marubeni-owned iSigma buys Japan's Kyosemi
ISigma, a mid-size buyout firm controlled by Japanese trading and investment conglomerate Marubeni, has acquired domestic semiconductor equipment manufacturer Kyosemi Corporation.
MPM Capital forms VC fund with Japan's Astellas Pharma
MPM Capital, a US venture firm focused on early-stage life science companies, has launched a new investment vehicle in partnership with Japanese pharmaceutical company Astellas Pharma.
The Chatterjee Group buys Mitsubishi India unit for $48m
US-based private equity firm The Chatterjee Group has agreed to pay about $48 million for a 90% stake in an Indian unit of Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation (MCC).
Japan Industrial Partners buys Narumiya from SBI
Japan Industrial Partners (JIP) has acquired children’s clothing retailer Narumiya International from SBI Holdings for an undisclosed sum.
Green House, WiL partner on $52m India fund
India's Green House Ventures (GHV) Accelerator will partner with Japan and US-based early-stage investor World Innovation Labs (WiL) to launch a INR3.5 billion ($52 million) fund for investments in Indian start-ups.
WiL leads $10.6m round for Japan's Retty
World Innovation Lab (WiL) has led a JPY1.1 billion ($10.6 million) investment in Japanese social media-oriented restaurant guide operator Retty.
Eight Roads leads $15m round for Japan payments provider
Eight Roads Ventures has led a $15 million Series B round of funding for Paidy, a cardless payment and instant credit service offered by Japanese financial technology platform Exchange Corporation.
Japan analytics platform Abeja gets $5m
Japanese corporate analytics platform Abeja has raised a JPY530 million ($5 million) Series B round from Innovation Corporation of Japan (INCJ) and Archetype Ventures.
INCJ leads $16m investment in Japan's Atonarp
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has led a $16 million funding round for Tokyo-based chemical sensor developer Atonarp.
Permira reaches $6.9b first close on latest global fund
Permira has achieved a first close for its sixth global buyout fund, with about EUR6.3 billion ($6.9 billion) in commitments.
SBI leads $17.5m investment in Thailand's Omise
Japan’s SBI Investment has led a $17.5 million Series B funding round for Thailand-based online payment services provider Omise.
Polaris buys Japanese timber company
Polaris Capital has agreed to acquire 100% of Japanese precut timber and building materials company Hivic for an undisclosed sum from domestic construction group Lixil.
Japan's J-Star promotes two to partner
Japanese GP J-Star has promoted Yuki Kashiyama, an investment professional in the operating team, and Tomoko Ando, who works in the administration team, to partners.
CLSA exits Japanese used car auction operator
CLSA Capital Partners, the alternative asset management arm of Hong Kong-headquartered brokerage and investment group CLSA, has fully exited its stake in Japanese used car auction operator Mirive.
Singapore's Paktor raises $10m for Japan, Korea expansion
Paktor, a Southeast Asia-focused mobile dating app, has raised $10 million in a new round of funding led by Japan’s YJ Capital, the corporate venture arm of Yahoo Japan.
Japan's SmartNews secures $38m Series D
Tokyo-based news discovery app SmartNews has raised $38 million in a Series D round led by Development Bank of Japan.
Farallon raises $1.1b for Asia, Latin America special situations fund
Farallon Capital Management has closed its third special situations fund focused on Asia and Latin America at $1.1 billion.
Ping An commits $300m to PE-backed logistics platform
Ping An Real Estate, the real estate investment and asset management platform of China's Ping An Insurance Group, has committed $300 million to e-Shang Redwood (ESR), a real estate logistics platform backed by Warburg Pincus with operations in China,...
DCM closes Asia-US fund at $500m hard cap
DCM has closed its latest global fund, which primarily targets investments in China and the US, at the hard cap of $500 million.
US-based Ayla gets $39m round for Asia expansion
Chinese boutique investment bank and asset manager Ants Capital has led a $39 million Series C round for Ayla Networks as the US-based internet-of-things (IoT) company consolidates its Asian footprint.
Japan succession: The long goodbye
As Masayoshi Son's recent about-turn on giving up the leadership of SoftBank suggests, Japanese founders of a certain age can be even less willing to consider succession than their younger peers