Tsutomu Hirakawa

Advantage Partners Inc /JP/ (AP) is an independent Japan-based private equity firm which was founded in 1992 by Taisuke Sasanuma and Richard Folsom. The firm is headquartered in Tokyo. AP invests directly in private equity and manages the MBI private equity funds for a range of domestic and foreign institutions including insurance companies, banks and corporations. The firm has close business ties with wholesale trader Marubeni Corp. (TSE: 8002). AP pioneered private equity investment in Japan and retains a leadership position in the private equity community.

Yaruki Switch Group Holdings KK provides support, management, and administrative services to its group of companies that engages in the education business. The company was founded by Masao Matsuda in April 1985 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.