J-STAR

J-STAR is a Tokyo-based private equity firm founded in 2006, specializing in management buy-outs and turnaround investments for small and medium-sized enterprises in Asia-Pacific. With a focus on value improvement, business restructuring, and M&A strategies, J-STAR offers solutions to various corporate challenges. The firm targets sectors such as healthcare, business outsourcing, IT/services, production, media, transport, retail, and finance. J-STAR typically invests in companies with equity values between ¥1 billion and ¥10 billion, preferring majority stakes and active involvement in portfolio companies. Exit strategies include IPO listings or sales to interested buyers. J-STAR aims to support companies, management teams, and shareholders in achieving business success and overseas market development through its extensive investment and management support experience.

Jennifar Alam

Manager, Investor Relations

Satoru Arakawa

Partner

Gregory R. Hara

CEO and Managing Partner

Gregory Rokuro Hara

Co-Founder, Chief Executive Officer, Managing Partner & Chairman of Investment Committee

Kenichi Harada

Co-Founder & Director Partner

Daisuke Imaeda

Principal, Investor Relations

Masayoshi Nakajima

Principal

Sachiko Nakayama

Head of Investor Relations and Manager

Hideaki Sakurai

Managing Partner

Kenta Shima

Principal

Yutaka Tozaki

Principal, Investments

Naohito Yamashita

Principal

Tatsuya Yumoto

Co-Founder & Partner, Investments

69 past transactions

1K

Acquisition in 2019
1K Inc. engages in web, EC, application design and development. The company provides platform to learn about fashion, interior, household goods, and hairstyle. 1K Inc. was founded in 2010 and is based in Osaka, Japan. As of October 24, 2019 1K Inc operates as subsidiary of Periplus Co., Ltd.

Alpha Corporation

Acquisition in 2017
Alpha Corporation Co., Ltd. provides tutoring services. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

ITTY

Private Placement in 2018
ITTY, inc. provides product planning services, such as market research and product branding. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Dainichi

Merger/Acquisition in 2020
DAINICHI Corporation develops and sells fish feeds, and aquaculture equipment to aquaculture companies. The company’s products include fish feed, including moist pellet, dry feed, fish meal, and fish oil; aquaculture products, including plastic sea cages, steel wire netting, polythene netting, UV-cut sheets, and floats; and offers aquaculture consulting services. The company also offers sea food logistics services. DAINICHI Corporation was founded in 1982 and is based in Uwajima, Japan with additional offices at Wakayama, Japan; and California, the United States.

Shin nihon kaihatsu Co., Ltd.

Private Placement in 2019
Shin nihon kaihatsu Co., Ltd. owns and operates incineration facility for waste management. The company was founded in 1972 and is based in Himeji, Japan.

Sincere

Merger/Acquisition in 2020
SINCERE Corporation engages in recycling and building maintenance businesses in Japan. It engages in the disposal and recycling of various waste materials; the generation of electricity by utilizing waste heat; and medical waste disposal. The company also engages in recycling disused articles, including information and telecommunication devices; and collecting aluminum, copper, etc. by disassembling, sorting, and crushing waste materials in order to reuse them as materials. In addition, it offers support for various corporate environmental issues, such as recycling disused articles, as well as the sorting, management, and disposal of waste; engages in the routine clean-up and maintenance of buildings; sanitation of clean rooms; and management of plants, end-of-year deep cleaning, etc. The company was founded in 1969 and is based in Tokyo, Japan with additional offices in Shinagawa and Yokohama, Japan.

Paiza

Private Equity Round in 2020
Gino, Inc. provides an online job matching service (https://paiza.jp/) based on programming tests for software engineers, and web-based online coding environment(https://paiza.IO/) for 20+ languages.

Honest Co. Ltd.

Acquisition in 2018
Honest Co.,Ltd. manufactures and sells automobile components. The company manufactures products, including drive shaft, alternator, motor, engine control unit, fuel pump, fuel injector, vaporizer, distributor, power steering, throttle chamber, carburetor, carburetor mixer, turbocharger, radiator, condenser, power window motor, compressor, automatic transmission, O2 sensor, and ignition coil. The company was founded in 1993 and is based in Yoshikawa City, Japan.

Shinseiki Trading

Private Equity Round in 2022
Shinseiki Trading handles Chinese eel kabayaki to customers.

Echigoya Co., Ltd.

Merger/Acquisition in 2017
Echigoya Co., Ltd. owns and operates restaurants. The company was founded in 2005 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Asiro

Merger/Acquisition in 2016
Asiro is a legal services company that specializes in corporate law. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Sun Smile

Merger/Acquisition in 2017
Sun Smile operates as a manufacturer of consumer products. Since its establishment in 1997, the Sun Smile has been in the business of designing and manufacturing its own private brand products including the flagship "Pure Smile" in addition to the wholesale of imported brand bags, accessories, cosmetics, and sundries.

Section Eight

Private Equity Round in 2018
Their business domain will spread around "emotion" without being bound by the industry. Add new value and create excitement in the world. That will be the work of section eight. Currently, it is developing as a business mainly focusing on marital business, food business, IT business.

Crafta

Acquisition in 2019
Crafta is an Internet company.

Wego

Acquisition in 2018
Wego is an online store that specializes in clothing and accessories. The company is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

Sun Smile

Acquisition in 2017
Sun Smile operates as a manufacturer of consumer products. Since its establishment in 1997, the Sun Smile has been in the business of designing and manufacturing its own private brand products including the flagship "Pure Smile" in addition to the wholesale of imported brand bags, accessories, cosmetics, and sundries.

Apoplus Station

Private Equity Round in 2010
Apoplus Station provides CSO and CRO business services focusing on medical well being.

Primagest

Private Equity Round in 2013
Primagest,Inc. provides hardware and software products for the electronic processing of documents and images. It manufactures reader-sorter systems and scanners. The company also offers XDP AD/V II&III, an image application development tool; XDR II&III, a form-recognition and character-recognition software; XDP OSM, a multimedia data base system; eFIRST Archive, an enterprise archive solution; FloWare, a production system workflow tool; eFIRST Process, a business process management package solution; and I/PM, an image workflow management tool. In addition, it provides outsourcing and ASP services; and other services ranging from consulting to system construction and from support to maintenance. The company serves finance, transportation and distribution, public services and healthcare, information processing and telecommunication, and outsourcing services sectors. Primagest,Inc. was formerly known as BancTec Japan, Inc. and changed its name to Primagest,Inc. in January 2012. The company was founded in 1968 and is headquartered in Kawasaki, Japan. It has additional offices in Osaka, Nagoya, Sapporo, Sendai, Tokyo, Kawasaki, Yokohama, Saitama, Kyoto, Hiroshima, Takamatsu, and Fukuoka, Japan. As of July 18, 2017, Primagest,Inc. operates as a subsidiary of ORIX Corporation.

Japan Hospice

Private Equity Round in 2014
Japan Hospice Holdings Inc. engages in hospice housing and home care businesses in Japan. The company offers care services at hospice housing for patients with end-stage cancer and intractable diseases; and home-visit nursing services. It also provides home care services, which supports medical care, as well as offers outpatient and nursing multi-function home care services. The company was founded in 2017 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.

RENOVA Japan

Private Equity Round in 2006
RENOVA, Inc. operates in the renewable energy industry in Japan. It operates through Renewable Energy Power Generation Business; and Renewable Energy Development and Operation Business segments. The Renewable Energy Power Generation Business segment generates and sells electricity from renewable energy power plants. The Renewable Energy Development and Operation Business segment develops and assists in the operation of renewable energy power plants. The company generates electricity through solar PV, biomass, wind, and geothermal power plants. RENOVA, Inc. was founded in 2000 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

AKI-JAPAN

Private Equity Round in 2021
AKI-JAPAN engages in civil engineering and construction services.

MATTRZ CX

Private Equity Round in 2019
MATTRZ CX is a marketing platform that realizes real-time and smooth in-site optimization.

Shirayuki Fukin

Acquisition in 2020
Shirayuki Fukin manufactures kitchen cloth, handkerchief, tenugui, bath towel, homewear and other acessories.

ESCO Co, Ltd.

Merger/Acquisition in 2015
ESCO co,ltd. is based in Tokyo, Japan.
BODYLINE Retail Business of JC International Trade Co., Ltd offers costumes products. The asset is located in Japan.

GENEX

Private Placement in 2020
GENEX, Inc. engages in the planning and administration of a data platform for genome and health care applications. The company was founded in 2019 and is based in Minato, Japan.

Nihon Hoken Service Inc.

Merger/Acquisition in 2015
Nihon Hoken Service Inc. offers insurance agency and insurance solicitation services. The company is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Section Eight

Merger/Acquisition in 2018
Their business domain will spread around "emotion" without being bound by the industry. Add new value and create excitement in the world. That will be the work of section eight. Currently, it is developing as a business mainly focusing on marital business, food business, IT business.

Honest Co. Ltd.

Private Placement in 2018
Honest Co.,Ltd. manufactures and sells automobile components. The company manufactures products, including drive shaft, alternator, motor, engine control unit, fuel pump, fuel injector, vaporizer, distributor, power steering, throttle chamber, carburetor, carburetor mixer, turbocharger, radiator, condenser, power window motor, compressor, automatic transmission, O2 sensor, and ignition coil. The company was founded in 1993 and is based in Yoshikawa City, Japan.

Sanwa Service Co Ltd.

Private Placement in 2018
Sanwa Service Co Ltd. operates as a dealer of new and used cars. The company was founded in 2001 and is based in Kiyosu, Japan.

Pepper Lunch

Acquisition in 2020
Pepper Lunch operates a quick-service model where selected steak meat is cooked in front of customers.

Alpha Corporation

Merger/Acquisition in 2017
Alpha Corporation Co., Ltd. provides tutoring services. The company was founded in 1999 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

C.R.E.A.M

Acquisition in 2018
C.R.E.A.M was established with e-commerce as the main distribution channel. CREAM has been growing steadily through excellent designing capability reflecting customer preferences and very detail site management. It has four product categories consisting of women party dress, yukata, suit, Santa costume, targeting the occasion needs.

Platia Ltd.

Merger/Acquisition in 2016
Platia Ltd. owns and operates nursing homes for seniors and patients of dementia. The company was founded in 2003 and is based in Higashiosaka, Japan.

Nakai Industrial Co., Ltd.

Private Placement in 2019
Nakai Industrial Co., Ltd. manufactures vacuum deposition and coating products. It offers functional coated products for hard coating, infrared blocking, static protection, and easy release needs; and floor advertising, reflection, anti-glare, electromagnetic shielding, and protective films to PCs, tablets, smartphones, televisions, and other high-tech products. The company also offers hot stamping foils with hard coating and barrier characteristics; paper, plastics, and cloth designability; and transfers and printing combination in an extra dimension. In addition, it provides deposition products, such as aluminum deposition films with heat retention and barrier provision functions for packaging and agricultural materials; soft packaging materials; products to deal with environmental problems; products that employ high reflective properties of silver; and products that combine electromagnetic shields and hard coatings. Further, the company provides metallic yarns to meet customer needs from traditional Japanese apparel to fine soft lame and special functional yarn. The company was founded in 1916 and is based in Kyoto, Japan.

Score Japan Group

Private Equity Round in 2022
Score Japan Group is an International courier and transportation service.

Aisei Pharmacy

Merger/Acquisition in 2016
Aisei Pharmacy engages in the retail sales of prescription drugs, proprietary drugs, and non-prescription medicines. It has a network of dispensing pharmacies with more than 350 stores nationwide and accepts prescriptions from either medical institution. It was founded in September 1984 and is located in Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku , Tokyo, Japan.

Dainichi

Acquisition in 2020
DAINICHI Corporation develops and sells fish feeds, and aquaculture equipment to aquaculture companies. The company’s products include fish feed, including moist pellet, dry feed, fish meal, and fish oil; aquaculture products, including plastic sea cages, steel wire netting, polythene netting, UV-cut sheets, and floats; and offers aquaculture consulting services. The company also offers sea food logistics services. DAINICHI Corporation was founded in 1982 and is based in Uwajima, Japan with additional offices at Wakayama, Japan; and California, the United States.

Sincere

Acquisition in 2020
SINCERE Corporation engages in recycling and building maintenance businesses in Japan. It engages in the disposal and recycling of various waste materials; the generation of electricity by utilizing waste heat; and medical waste disposal. The company also engages in recycling disused articles, including information and telecommunication devices; and collecting aluminum, copper, etc. by disassembling, sorting, and crushing waste materials in order to reuse them as materials. In addition, it offers support for various corporate environmental issues, such as recycling disused articles, as well as the sorting, management, and disposal of waste; engages in the routine clean-up and maintenance of buildings; sanitation of clean rooms; and management of plants, end-of-year deep cleaning, etc. The company was founded in 1969 and is based in Tokyo, Japan with additional offices in Shinagawa and Yokohama, Japan.

FujiField Co., Ltd

Acquisition in 2017
Fuji Field Co., Ltd operates as a veterinary hospital. The company was founded in 2006 and is based in Tokyo, Japan. As of April 3, 2017, Fuji Field Co., Ltd operates as a subsidiary of JVCC., Ltd.

GINO

Acquisition in 2020
Gino, Inc. owns and operates the online job search and learning platform for IT engineers. Its platform paiza offers job seekers to find a recruiting company that can take an interview or visits a company without screening documents by taking an online coding test. Gino, Inc. was founded in 2012 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Aisei Pharmacy

Acquisition in 2016
Aisei Pharmacy engages in the retail sales of prescription drugs, proprietary drugs, and non-prescription medicines. It has a network of dispensing pharmacies with more than 350 stores nationwide and accepts prescriptions from either medical institution. It was founded in September 1984 and is located in Marunouchi Chiyoda-ku , Tokyo, Japan.

TSS Co

Private Equity Round in 2009
TSS Co., Ltd. engages in the manufacturing and development of electronic circuit boards. The company is based in Japan.

Asiro

Private Equity Round in 2016
Asiro is a legal services company that specializes in corporate law. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Yokoi Manufacturing

Private Equity Round in 2017
YOKOI Manufacturing Ltd. engages in the manufacturing of fire fighting equipment. The company manufactures hose cabinet, outside hose cabinet sprinklers, fire extinguisher cabinet, cabinets for fire service outlet, hydrant, underground hydrant, valves, nozzles, hoses, valve unit, inlet connection, outlet connection cabinet for connection line valves, hoses for fire brigades automatic monitor system. The company was founded in 1958 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan with additional offices in Sapporo, Niigata, Sendai, Kanagawa, Hiroshima, Fukuoka, and Osaka, Japan. As of January 6, 2021, YOKOI Manufacturing Ltd. operates as a subsidiary of HATSUTA SEISAKUSHO Co.,Ltd..

Harita Metal

Private Equity Round in 2017
HARITA METAL Co.,Ltd. collects, transports, and processes industrial waste. The company crushes, shreds, and sorts iron scrap. It operates shredding, sorting, separating, and disposal facilities. It provides automobile, motorcycle, small electrical and electronic equipment recycling services. Additionally, the company sells used auto parts. The company was formerly known as Harita Trading and changed its name to HARITA METAL Co.,Ltd. in August 1975. The company was founded in 1960 and is based in Takaoka-shi, Japan. It has additional offices in Imizu, Ishikawa, Nanto-shi, and Toyama, Japan.

ITTY

Private Equity Round in 2017
ITTY, inc. provides product planning services, such as market research and product branding. The company was founded in 2009 and is based in Tokyo, Japan.

Toy Factory

Private Equity Round in 2022
Toy Factory is a manufacturer and sales of special vehicles and vehicles for the disabled Manufacture of automobile interiors and exterior camping vehicles company.

Harita Metal

Private Placement in 2018
HARITA METAL Co.,Ltd. collects, transports, and processes industrial waste. The company crushes, shreds, and sorts iron scrap. It operates shredding, sorting, separating, and disposal facilities. It provides automobile, motorcycle, small electrical and electronic equipment recycling services. Additionally, the company sells used auto parts. The company was formerly known as Harita Trading and changed its name to HARITA METAL Co.,Ltd. in August 1975. The company was founded in 1960 and is based in Takaoka-shi, Japan. It has additional offices in Imizu, Ishikawa, Nanto-shi, and Toyama, Japan.