Japan
KDDI, Yahoo, CyberAgent invest $3m in online language service
KDDI Open Innovation Fund, CyberAgent Ventures and YJ Capital - the investment arm of Yahoo Japan - have taken part in JPY330 million ($3.2 million) round of funding for RareJob, an English-language learning website.
European infrastructure: Bubble at the core
Asian investors are drawn to the diversification and yields offered by European infrastructure, but certain segments of the market are overheating. Prices are getting bid up and returns are likely to be pushed down
INCJ-backed Seajacks sets up Japan wind farm unit
Seajacks International, a UK-based offshore energy services provider owned by Japan's Marubeni Corp. and government-backed Innovation Network Corporation of Japan (INCJ), has launched its first Asian subsidiary - Seajacks Japan.
Cerberus raises Seibu stake, falls short of target
Cerberus Capital Management has raised its stake in Japan's Seibu Holdings to 35.48%, giving it enough control to block resolutions by management. However, the New York-headquartered firm fell short of its goal of buying 44.7% of the Japanese rail and...
SE Asia VC Ardent gets backing from US, Japan partners
Southeast Asia-focused venture capital firm Ardent has received its first round of external funding from US-based Siemer Ventures and Japanese VCs Recruit Strategic Partners and GMO Venture Partners. Details of the transaction were not disclosed.
Nissay, Nippon invest $1m in online translation service
Nissay Capital and Nippon Venture Capital Co. (NVCC) have led a JPY108 million ($1 million) round of investment in Japan's Yaraku, the company behind online cloud translation service WorldJumper. Individual investors are also said to have taken part in...
MGPA deal expands BlackRock’s Asia footprint
Asia Square, a twin tower complex in Singapore's Marina Bay, is set to be city state’s most environmentally friendly building. Designed by architects Denton Corker Marshall, it will house the world’s largest solar panel roof installation and the first...
Globis upbeat on Fund IV first close
When Japanese tech-focused VC Globis Capital Partners raised its third fund in 2006, it was against a very different backdrop. The process took just four months and the vehicle closed at JPY18 billion, JPY3 billion over target.
Silver lining: Investing in Asia's elderly
An established investment trend in developed markets, private equity players in emerging Asia are considering how they can best meet the needs of the region’s aging population
JBIC, Mizuho partner with Singapore government to promote SMEs
Mizuho Corporate Bank (MHCB) and Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) have signed an agreement with SPRING Singapore, an agency under the Ministry of Trade and Industry, to encourage collaboration between small businesses in Japan and Singapore.
Panasonic's healthcare business to attract 10 PE bidders - report
Around 10 private equity firms and a handful of strategic investors are expected to enter first-round bids for Panasonic's healthcare unit.
East Ventures leads seed funding round in Japan's TwitCasting
East Ventures has led a JPY64.8 million ($633,000) round of seed funding in Moi Corp., the Japanese company behind social video application TwitCasting.
Japan's NTT Docomo acquires Guam cable operator from Seaport Capital
Japanese wireless operator NTT Docomo has acquired Guam cable operator MCV Broadband from New York private equity firm Seaport Capital for an enterprise value of approximately $130 million.
Japan restructuring opportunities on the rise – PE survey
Japan is expected to emerge as a hotspot for restructuring over the next 12 months as domestic industries consolidate and foreign multinationals reassess their activities in a weak and demographically challenged consumer market. South Korea and Japan...
Cerberus extends tender for Seibu shares
Cerberus Capital Management is to extend the deadline to buy more shares in Japan's Seibu Holdings until May 31. The US private equity firm, already the largest shareholder in Seibu with a 32.44% stake, has been trying to boost its holding to 44.7% through...
Japan's Globis reaches $78m first close on Fund IV
Tokyo-based venture firm Globis Capital Partners has reached a first close on its fourth fund a JPY8 billion ($78 million). Globis Fund IV, will focus on Japanese companies looking to capitalize on high-growth Asian markets as well as those in the domestic...
Cerberus to secure around one third of Japan's Seibu - report
Cerberus Capital Management is expected to hold more than one third of Japan's Seibu Holdings following a takeover bid set to expire tomorrow.
Japan’s Indonesian ambitions
Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp. (SMBC) is paying a princely sum for a slice of Indonesia's financial services sector. The price-to-book (P/B) valuation of the $1.56 billion it has agreed to pay for a 40% stake in Bank Tabungan Pensiunan Nasional (BTPN)...
Japan's New Horizon, Integral bullish on fundraising
Japan's New Horizon Capital is considering enlarging its second fund against a backdrop of improved investor sentiment in the country. Integral Corp. cites similar reasons for the strong response to its own second fund, which is expected to reach a final...
CPPIB, GE Capital launch Tokyo property co-invest program
Canada Pension Plan Investment Board (CPPIB) and General Electric Capital Real Estate (GECRE) have formed a joint venture targeting investments in mid-size Class A-B offices in key central business district sub-markets in Tokyo.
Japan's Takeda buys Singapore biopharma start-up
PE-backed Singapore biopharmaceutical start-up Inviragen is to be acquired by Japan's Takeda Pharmaceutical for $250 million.
JBIC to commit $25m to Mizuho ASEAN fund
The Japan Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) will commit up to $25 million to Mizuho's new ASEAN-focused private equity fund.
Portfolio: Bain Capital and Domino's Pizza Japan
The US consumer cred of Domino’s Pizza means little in Japan where consumer tastes and cultural norms are very different to the West. Bain Capital took an innovative approach to cornering a competitive sector
Carlyle launches Japan fund with $2b target - report
Carlyle is said to have launched its latest Japan-focused buyout fund with a target of $2 billion.