Japan
WL Ross-backed Ohizumi to go public
Ohizumi, a temperature sensors electrical parts manufacturer backed WL Ross, will list on the Tokyo Stock Exchange on June 22.
SBI, FMO launch $80m financial services fund
Japan's SBI Holdings and Netherlands Development Finance Company (FMO) have jointly rolled out a new fund that will invest in financial services across emerging Asia. The SBI-FMO Emerging Asian Financial Services Fund is targeting up to $80 million in...
Unison Capital seeks buyer for sushi chain - report
Japanese private equity firm Unison Capital is searching for a buyer for its sushi restaurant chain Akindo Sushiro. If the transaction goes through, it could be worth as much as JPY70 billion ($893 million) and represent one of the largest private equity...
Bain to target $6b for global fund
Bain Capital has set a target of $6 billion for its new global buyout vehicle, for which it plans to offer three fee options in a bid to attract a more diverse range of LPs.
GA sells Gavilon stake to Japan's Marubeni
General Atlantic (GA) has sold its stake in US grain trader Gavilon to Japanese trading house Marubeni Corp, in a deal that values the company at an enterprise value of around $5.3 billion.
Cerberus' Aozora sale stalled
Ceberus’ attempt to exit Aozora Bank faces a fresh obstacle in the shape of the Japanese government, which is on the cusp of becoming a major shareholder. The US private equity firm made its original investment in the Japanese lender more than 10 years...
Asahi says it paid too much for PE-backed Independent Liquor
Asahi Group is re-examining the terms of its NZ$1.5 billion ($1.27 billion) acquisition last year of Independent Liquor from Pacific Equity Partners (PEP) and Unitas Capital, suggesting there were differences in understanding between the buyer and sellers...
TPG to invest in bankrupt Japanese apartment developer
TPG Capital has agreed to buy bankrupt Japanese apartment developer Joint Corp. alongside property consultancy Savills. The news comes after the private equity firm reportedly considered investments in two other distressed assets in Japan, Olympus Corp....
Nippon Mirai Capital in ALC buyout
ALC Press, a listed language-focused educational service provider, has approved a tender offer from Nippon Mirai Capital and plans to go private.
Globis leads $3.6m Series A round for quiz developer
Globis, the Japanese venture capital firm, has led a GBP2.3 million ($3.6 million) Series A round of funding for Quipper, a UK quiz applications manufacturer. Benesse, a Japanese education and publishing company, and Atomico, the VC firm led by Skype...
Nomura plans Ashikaga IPO
Nomura is planning to sell shares of regional bank Ashikaga in an initial public offering (IPO) on the Tokyo Stock Exchange as early as December. The bank may trade at a market value of JPY200 billion ($2.5 billion) to JPY300 billion.
Unison secures Showa Yakuhin Kako SBO
Unison Capital has emerged victorious in the auction for Showa Yakuhin Kako, securing the secondary buyout of the drug producer from Tokio Marine Capital, Polaris Capital Group and PineBridge Investments.
JAFCO backs US-based pharma company in Series A funding
JAFCO has invested $10 million in the Series A financing of Eleven Biotherapeutics, a US-based biopharmaceutical company designing and engineering novel and differentiated protein-based biotherapeutics.
J-Star gives Three Arrows paws for thought
Denim jackets, corduroy pants and swimming goggles. These items of clothing have been common human attire for more than a century, but in Japan in particular, apparel of this nature is increasingly popular among dogs.
Micron closes in on Elpida acquisition – report
Micron Technology has reportedly won the right to exclusive talks over the acquisition of bankrupt Japanese chipmaker Elpida Memory, beating rivals including TPG Capital and Hony Capital.
Intel Capital's Kuppam adds Taiwan, Korea to his Asia portfolio
Intel Capital’s Asia Pacific Managing Director Sudheer Kuppam will assume responsibility for investment activity in Taiwan and Korea, adding to his existing coverage of India, Japan and Southeast Asia. Based in India, he will oversee a team of investment...
Hony to sell Elpida plant to SMIC if bid succeeds – report
Hony Capital plans to sell or outsource the operations at Elpida Memory's Hiroshima plant to China-based Semiconductor Manufacturing International Corp. (SMIC) if it wins the bid for the bankrupt Japanese chipmaker.
OMERS, Japan pension funds target $20b infrastructure vehicle
Ontario Municipal Employees Retirement Scheme (OMERS), one of Canada’s largest pension plans, has announced a first close of $7.5 billion on an infrastructure fund set up with a consortium of Japanese pension funds led by Mitsubishi Corporation. The final...
Mitsui & Co. Global Investment establishes Indian arm
Mitsui & Co. Global Investment, the private equity arm of Japanese conglomerate Mitsui & Co., has established an India operation in Mumbai.
VC firms support Japan-US drug development alliance
Drais Pharmaceuticals, a US-based firm backed by InterWest Partners and Sutter Hill Ventures, will form a partnership with Japan’s Astellas Pharma to jointly develop a new line of drugs. Astellas has agreed to transfer assets to Drais-operated Telsar...
Advantage Partners has no plans for new fund – report
Advantage Partners told an investor meeting Wednesday that it has no immediate plans to launch a new fund even though the investment period for its existing vehicle is due to end in the summer.
PE-backed 1st Holdings sells stake to Salesforce.com
Advantage Partners-owned Japanese software maker 1st Holdings has received an investment from US-based enterprise cloud computing company Salesforce.com.
CapVest exits United Coffee to Japan's UCC
CapVest has sold United Coffee, one of Europe’s largest coffee companies, to Japanese trade buyer UCC Holdings for EUR500 million ($617 million).
Sumitomo Mitsui halves target for Japan fund – report
Sumitomo Mitsui Trust has cut the target for its latest private equity fund by half. It follows a similar move by Unison Capital and is seen as symptomatic of the difficult investment environment in Japan.