Japan Relay Partners has closed its fundraising in Japan with 17 international investors

Japan Relay Partners, founded by Yasushi Kobayashi, has announced the successful closure of a significant Joint Venture Agreement with 17 private and institutional investors, including Inclusion Japan, Japan Private Equity, JaSFA, Sirius Partners, M&A DX, Mazal Capital,  Secways, M2O Search, Scipio Holding, Korea Search Fund, etc. This milestone marks the commencement of the inaugural fundraising for a search activity in Japan.

Yasushi spent a decade at Toyota Group, one of Japan’s largest conglomerates, focusing on the international sales and marketing of machinery in Latin America, including Cuba and Ecuador. During his three years in Cuba, he established a new company in Havana and, as CEO, managed all aspects of the business—from accounting and human resources to sales, marketing, operations, and government lobbying. This experience sparked his passion for entrepreneurship and ownership, leading him to the search fund space in Japan.

Japan has about 4.2 million businesses, with 99% classified as small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), which employ around 70% of the workforce and contribute 60% of the GDP, making them a key part of the economy. However, with Japan’s aging population and a growing succession crisis among SMEs, the situation is becoming urgent. The Japanese government estimates that by 2025, around 2.45 million SME owners will be over 70 years old, with nearly half lacking a successor. Yasushi believes that the search fund model can help address this challenge and encourages top talent to move from large corporations to lead these smaller businesses, thereby helping to solve the succession issue and promote regional revitalization.