Japan
AIP Japan to launch $300m healthcare focused fund
Asia Investment Partners (AIP) Japan is launching its sixth healthcare-focused fund, which will specifically target the elderly care home segment.
Japan Industrial Solutions invests $98m in Unitika
Turnaround specialist Japan Industrial Solutions (JIS) has agreed to acquire a stake in listed textiles manufacturer Unitika for JPY10 billion ($98 million).
Japan's INCJ joins $8.2m deal for TB vaccine developer
The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan has made a joint investment with Osaka-based Dainippon Sumitomo Pharma and Japan BCG Laboratory in Create Vaccine Company, which is developing a new tuberculosis (TB) vaccine.
Indosat, SoftBank form $50m Indonesia VC fund
Indonesian mobile telecom operator Indosat and Japanese Softbank have launched a $50 million venture capital fund targeting Indonesian start-ups.
VCs invest $1.3m in Japan mobile rewards platform
Gree Ventures, CyberAgent Ventures and Incubate Fund have together invested $1.3 million in Yoyo, the start-up behind mobile rewards platform Candy.
Globis leads $14m round for Japan app developer
Globis Capital Partners has led a JPY1.4 billion ($13.7 million) round of investment for Japanese mobile app developer Akatsuki.
Early stage Japan: Accelerating Tokyo
The numbers suggest that early-stage investing is in the midst of a renaissance in Japan. While the emergence of incubators and angels is encouraging, the start-up community still lacks depth
Japan's Next Capital exits massage chair maker to Asahi
Next Capital has agreed to exit its stake in Fuji Medical Instruments (Fujiiryoki), a Japanese manufacturer of massage chairs and other health-related products, to Asahi Holdings for JPY7.8 billion ($76.7 million).
DCM leads $14.6m round for Japan CRM start-up
DCM has led a JPY1.46 billion ($14.6 million) round of investment for Sansan, the Japanese start-up behind business card-based customer relationship management (CRM) solution Eight.
INCJ invests $4m in Japan's Customer Communications
The Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has invested JPY400 million ($4 million) in Customer Communications (CCL), which provides analytics for consumer purchasing behavior.
Unison exits Japan real estate management firm to Fosun
Chinese conglomerate Fosun Group has bought Tokyo-based real estate management firm IDERA Capital Management from Japanese private equity firm Unison Capital. Financial terms were not disclosed.
DBJ invests $14m in Japan's Diamond Electric
The Development Bank of Japan(DBJ) has invested JPY1.5 billion ($14 million) in Diamond Electric, a Tokyo-listed electronic devices manufacturer, for a 49.5% a stake.
Global Brain, 500 Startups lead Series C for couples app
VCNC, the Korean start-up behind couples app Between, has raised a Series C round of investment from Japanese venture capital firm Global Brain and US investor 500 Startups.
CyberAgent invests $1.6m in Japan flea market app
Japanese internet firm CyberAgent has invested JPY160 million ($1.6 million) in VC-backed mobile flea market app 10sec.
WM Partners in debut secondary deal
When Moriyoshi Matsumoto spun out from JAIC to form WM Partners (WMP) last year it was with a view to targeting a very specific need.
UTEC invests $2m in Japan broadband service
University of Tokyo Edge Capital (UTEC) has invested JPY200 million ($1.9 million) in Nabiq, a Japanese provider of wireless broadband services for businesses, as part of Series A round of funding.
Carlyle, Unison seek buyer for Covalent Materials - report
The Carlyle Group and Japan's Unison Capital are reportedly seeking a buyer for semiconductor parts manufacturer Covalent Materials Corp.
RRJ, Temasek back ING insurance unit
RRJ Capital and Temasek Holdings have agreed to invest EUR1.28 billion ($1.8 billion) in NN Group (NNG), the insurance unit of Dutch lender ING Group.
Japan's WM Partners secures debut deal
Japanese secondaries investor WM Partners (WMP) has completed the debut transaction from its first fund, acquiring a 12% interest in B2B marketing platform Shanon.
Japan's AIC appoints Yasufumi Hirao as CEO
Japanese fund-of-funds Alternative investment Capital (AIC) has appointed Yasufumi Hirao as its new president and CEO.
Placement agents: Tapping tomorrow's investors
Asian LPs are a small but increasingly conspicuous part of the global institutional investor community. How can placement agents nurture pockets of growth in a potentially lucrative yet hugely imbalanced market?
J-Star's Kugami deal fits the mold
If anything is to be learnt from J-Star's acquisition of Japanese plastic-molded auto parts maker Kugami, it is that when one door closes another opens.
Japan VCs invest $4m in game developer Aiming
Japanese gaming company Aiming has received a JPY450 million ($4.3 million) round of investment from YJ Capital, Mitsubishi UFJ Capital and Mizuho Capital.
INCJ-backed JV acquires NZ-based packaging business
A Japanese joint venture - 40% owned by the Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) - has acquired the pulp, paper and packaging (PPP) unit of New Zealand-based forest products company Carter Holt Harvey (CHH) for just over NZ$1 billion ($857 million).