Japan
Japan mystery shopper company raises $2.2m
Mizuho Capital, Jafco Ventures and DBJ Capital have invested JPY220 million ($2.1 million) in Research and Innovation, a Tokyo-based internet market research company.
Advantage acquires Japan kitchenware provider
Japanese mid-market GP Advantage Partners has acquired FMI Corp, an Osaka-based provider of kitchenware products and services.
Walden Riverwood leads $8m Series A for Japan's Atonarp
Walden Riverwood Ventures has led an $8 million Series A round of funding for Atonarp, a Japanese developer of chemical sensors.
Gree, Atomico lead $35m Series B for Japan news app
Japanese internet gaming firm Gree, and tech-focused investor Atomico, have led a JPY3.6 billion ($35.4 million) Series B round investment in SmartNews, the Tokyo-based start-up behind the news curation app of the same name.
Line backs Japan's Gumi, launches $100m developer fund
Messaging app start-up Line Corp. has agreed to acquire a less than 10% stake in Gumi, a VC-backed Japanese game developer. The exact size and value of the deal is still under negotiation.
DRC Capital launches Fund III, holds $25m first close
Japanese mid-market buyout shop DRC Capital has launched its third buyout fund - Japanese Limited Partnership DRC III - quickly followed by an initial close of JPY2.5 billion ($25 million).
Japan's REVIC invests $10m in restaurant chain
The Regional Vitalization Corporation of Japan (REVIC) has invested JPY1 billion ($10 million) in Tokyo-listed restaurant chain Friendly.
Japan VCs invest $3m in Tokyo tech boot camp
Life is Tech, a Tokyo-based IT boot camp program for elementary and junior high school students, has raised JPY310 million (about $3 million) from Japanese investors Jafco, Mistletoe, KCJ Group, DeNA and Recruit Holdings.
INCJ to form LED business with Japan Display, corporates
The government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) is forming a new company with Japan Display, Sony Corp. and Panasonic. The new company will be engaged in the development and commercialization of organic light-emitting diode (OLED)...
Japan game publisher 3rdKind raises $1m from VCs
Nippon Venture Capital (NVCC), early stage investor Global Brain Corp., and Japanese internet firm Adways have together invested $1 million in mobile games publisher 3rdKind.
Arbor leads $3.3m Series A round for Japan e-payments service
Arbor Ventures has led a $3.3 million Series A round for Exchange Corporation (ExCo), the Japanese start-up behind e-commerce payment and instant credit service Paidy, with participation from CyberAgent Ventures and Recruit Strategic Partners. Exisiting...
Bain sells Japan's Bellsystem24 stake to Itochu
Bain Capital has sold a 49.9% stake in Bellsystem24 Holdings to trading house Itochu Coporation for an undisclosed amount.
Inflexion Point launches $15m Japan-focused game fund
Singapore venture capital firm Inflexion Point Capital (IPC), has launched a $15 million fund to focus on investments in Japan's mobile gaming start-ups.
Global Brain, others lead $4m Series C round for Japan photo app
Japanese early stage investor Global Brain Corp. has joined Energy and Environment Investment and publishing firm Kodansha to invest JPY400 million (about $4 million) in Toyko-based Mind Palette, the start-up behind fashion-focused photo sharing app Snapeee....
Shunfeng commits $74m in Japan power project PE fund
Hong Kong-listed solar cell manufacturer Shunfeng Photovoltaic International has commited JPY7.5 billion ($74 million) to an unnamed Japanese solar power-focused fund.
VC firm launches $13.6m Anglo-Japanese agri fund
Japanese venture capital firm Tsukuba Technology Seed (TTS) has teamed up with the UK's Adapt Low Carbon Group to launch an Anglo-Japanese VC fund focusing on agricultural innovation.
Coller's Mizuno joins GPIF investment committee
Japan's Government Pension Investment Fund (GPIF) has appointed Hiromichi Mizuno, a partner at secondaries specialist Coller Capital, to its investment committee.
Japan fish app start-up raises $4.5m
Hachimenroppi, a Japanese start-up that operates an IT-enabled fresh fish distribution platform, has secured JPY450 million ($4.4 million) in funding from Recruit Holdings, YJ Capital, DeNA, and Monex Ventures.
WiL aims high with Japan's 'next Nintendo'
From Nintendo's Super Mario Bros. all the way through to Sony PlayStation’s Final Fantasy, there was a time when Japan ruled the gaming industry. Microsoft’s Xbox and recent Western successes such as Call of Duty and Grand Theft Auto have dented this...
KDDI joins corporates to launch incubator
Japanese telecoms giant KDDI will partner with 13 other corporates to create a start-up incubator targeting internet-related businesses.
PE-backed Universal Studios Japan targets IPO - report
Universal Studios Japan (USJ) - a theme park operator backed by Goldman Sachs, PAG, MBK Partners and US hedge fund Owl Creek - is looking to list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Japan's Gree leads $4.5m round for HotelQuickly
Japanese tech giant Gree has led a $4.5 million Series A-1 round of funding for HotelQickly, a Hong Kong-headquartered last-minute hotel booking platform.
INCJ, Fidelity in $24m round for cloud storage provider
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ and Fidelity Growth Partners have taken part in $24 million round for US-based Cloudian, a hybrid cloud storage solutions provider.
JBIC, Mitsubishi take stake in Middle East water company
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) has joined Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in acquiring a stake in Middle Eastern water treatment firm Metito.