AVCJ Private Equity & Venture Forum 2011

Japan PE: A surge of medium-sized world-class, alpha-driven opportunities

The mega deals that took place in the last decade in Japan have not been repeated in recent years; instead small-medium sized investments have dominated the market with 26 buyouts worth US$1.4 billion recorded in 2010. This has opened the door for both international and domestic PE players to capitalise on a steady stream of attractive investments that provide a potentially easier path to find buyers when the time comes to exit. That said, large-scale global private equity firms looking to table multi-billion dollar buyouts do have fans in Japan, who believe the risk capital and bold restructuring they bring to the table is exactly what the Japanese economy needs.