Japan
Taiwan's Chinatrust to buy Tokyo Star Bank for $530m
CTBC Financial, the parent company of Taiwan's Chinatrust Commercial Bank, is to buy a 98.16% stake in Tokyo Star Bank for JPY52 billion ($530 million) from US private equity firm Lone Star and other creditors-turned-shareholders. It will be the first...
Ant Capital acquires Japanese shoe maker MoonStar
Ant Capital has acquired a majority stake in 140-year-old Japanese shoe maker MoonStar from the founding family and other shareholders. Financial details were not disclosed.
J-Star makes sweet exit from Tokachi
Gifts are a big part of Japanese tradition. Whether you are making an introduction, expressing thanks or simply marking a change in the seasons, an exchange of gifts is usually required. A large section of the country’s consumer sector relies on providing...
Asia real assets: Need returns, will travel
Interest in Asian real assets has surged as investors look to higher growth emerging markets for income and upside. Opportunities run from real estate to infrastructure, and in some cases offer a bit of both
Ant Capital exits cream puff maker Beard Papa
Ant Capital is exiting its 100% stake in Muginoho Holdings, the company behind Japanese cream puff brand Beard Papa, to instant food giant Nagatanien for JPY9.44 billion ($96 million).
Polaris-backed apparel supplier files for bankruptcy
Fusen-Usagi Corporation,a children's apparel supplier backed by Polaris Capital Group, has filed for bankruptcy at Osaka Regional Court with JPY3 billion ($30 million) in debt.
Jafco-backed Ride On Express files for Japan IPO
Ride On Express, a Japanese food delivery franchise operator backed by Jafco Ventures, has filed for a Tokyo IPO.
INCJ invests $8m in Japanese mobile payment start-up
Government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) has invested JPY800 million ($8 million) in mobile payments processor Coiney.
J-Star completes $6.6m exit of sweets maker Tokachi
J-Star has completed its exit of a 100% stake Japanese sweet maker Tokachi to Tokyo-listed Mediaflag in deal valued at JPY644 million ($6.6 million). According to sources familiar with the matter, the GP has generated a 1.3x return on its investment....
Macquarie to form infra JV with Japan's Maeda
Macquarie Capital will form a joint venture with Japanese engineering firm Maeda Corp. to invest in infrastructure and renewable energy projects.
Lead Capital invests $2m in Japan's Talknote
Lead Capital Management has invested JPY200 million ($2 million) in Talknote, the Japanese start-up behind the corporate social networking platform of the same name. This is the second round of funding the company has received, following an undisclosed...
Intel Capital unveils seven new Asia investments
Intel Capital, a corporate VC arm of chipmaker Intel Corporation, has invested in seven Asia-based companies as part of a batch of 16 global commitments totaling $65 million. The Asian firms, coming from China, India, Singapore, Japan and Taiwan, account...
Australia's IFM changes name, opens Tokyo office
Industry Funds Management has changed its name to IFM Investors. The move comes shortly after the Australia-headquartered group consolidated its private equity and private assets divisions into one team and as it expands its presence in global markets,...
Japan's Astellas Pharma leads US-based Mitokyne $45m Series A round
Astellas Pharma, a Tokyo-listed pharmaceutical firm, has led a $45 million Series A round of investment in US biotech start-up Mitokyne, alongside MPM Capital and Longwood Founders Fund.
Global Brain invests $3.3m in Japan group buying site Luxa
Japanese venture capital firm Global Brain has invested JPY330 million ($3.3 million) in luxury group buying site Luxa through its KDDI Open Innovation Fund.
Japan's SoftBank acquires VC-backed Supercell for $1.5b
Japanese telecom giant SoftBank has acquired SuperCell - a Finnish mobile games developer backed by Index Ventures, Accel Partners and Atomico - paying JPY150 billion ($1.53 billion) for a 51% stake.
Japan's Mitsubishi launches energy-focused fund-of-funds
Japan's Mitsubishi Corp. has led the launch of a $300 million US energy-focused private equity fund-of-funds. Energy Opportunity Fund is expected to reach its target by September next year.
MBK closes third North Asia buyout fund at $2.7b hard cap
MBK Partners has closed its third fund at the hard cap of $2.7 billion after just over one year in the market. The North Asia-focused GP, which was founded by Michael B. Kim, former president of Carlyle Asia Partners, set an initial target of around $2.25...
VC-backed Eneres in $25m Japan IPO
Eneres, a venture capital-backed energy resources management firm, saw its stock more than double to JPY717 on its first day of trading in Tokyo yesterday following a JPY2.5 billion ($25 million) IPO.
Japan online fish seller raises $1.5m VC round
Hachimenroppi, a Japanese firm that operates an IT-enabled fresh fish distribution platform, has secured a JPY150 million ($1.5 million) round of investment from Pygmalion No 2, a venture fund managed by Tokyo-based firm Value Create. Two strategic investors...
J-Star buys 'fourth hand' Primagest
Primagest, a firm whose primary business is using optical character recognition (OCR) to turn documents in data, appears every bit the tech-savvy up and comer. However, it has been doing the same thing – in one form or another – for 45 years.
Panasonic unit gets KKR cure
KKR's acquisition of Panasonic Healthcare marks a return to form for the firm after its earlier efforts to acquire Japanese chipmaker Renesas were frustrated by the government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ). The deal had raised...
INCJ, VCs back Japan big data firm Smart Insight
Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ) is to invest up to JPY1 billion ($10.3 million) in Smart Insight Corp, a big data analysis software developer for the corporate sector. The business has also secured JPY400 million from Energy & Environment...
J-Star ups stake in Primagest
Japanese GP J-Star has completed its acquisition of a majority stake in image processing firm Primagest. The financial details of this second tranche of investment were not disclosed, but a source with direct knowledge of the matter said the mid-market...