VENTURE CAPITAL POST

Japan's SoftBank Corp and its U.S. mobile carrier Sprint Corp will offer a Sony smartphone for the first time, sources with knowledge of the matter said, as the two technology titans confront daunting challenges in the U.S. market.

The dollar marched higher against the euro and yen on Monday as investors wagered that interest rates were set on a diverging course in the United States, Europe and Japan, giving a lift to Tokyo stocks in the process.

SoftBank Corp (9984.T), Japan's No.3 mobile carrier, will cut its smartphone charges in Japan with a flat rate for unlimited voice calling and cheaper data plans, in a sign that price competition may be starting to pick up in Japan's mobile market.

Chinese smartphone maker Xiaomi will soon release its first tablet, sources with knowledge of the matter told Reuters, expanding the fast-growing company's product lineup in a potential challenge to Samsung Electronics Co Ltd and Apple Inc.

The Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA) is planning to start a commercialized space-based solar energy farm that would convert sunlight into electricity in a bid to replace the many nuclear power plants built on earthquake-prone areas.

San Francisco, California-based nutrition and fitness startup MyFitnessPal is set to launch localized apps with additional languages to build its audience in Asia, particularly in China, Japan, and South Korea.

Mining tycoon Andrew Forrest acquired Perth, Western Australia-based beef processor and exporter Harvey Beef for an undisclosed amount through his company Minderoo, and announced expansion plans for the newly-acquired firm.

New York, US-based mobile gameplay-recording startup Kamcord raised $7.1 million in a Series A funding round led by TransLink Capital to conquer the giant gaming markets of Japan, China, and South Korea.

Kifisia, Greece-based petroleum and petrochemical gas products transporter StealthGas Inc raised $47 million through the sale of 4.47 million common shares at $10.50 apiece for its vessels purchases and other corporate purposes.

American and Canadian Bitcoin traders and investors have agreed to settle the class-action lawsuits they have filed against the bankrupt Tokyo, Japan-based Bitcoin exchange Mt Gox in return for a 16.5% stake in the firm.

The territorial dispute between China and Japan has caused the latter to pull out its investments from the country and redirecting its focus to other South East Asian countries where it has already funded companies with USD22.8 billion last year.

Tokyo, Japan-based Bitcoin exchange Mt Gox will file for liquidation in Tokyo instead of its initial plan of rebuilding the firm under bankruptcy protection after a bug reportedly brought the site down.

Osaka, Japan-based video game developer and publisher Capcom Co Ltd poured $78 million into the construction of two new research and development (R&D) facilities near its headquarters in a bid to gain more traction in the industry.

Venture capital firms in the US have raised a record-breaking total funding amounting to $8.9 billion in the first quarter of 2014, according to Thomson Reuters and the National Venture Capital Association.

Online video platform Viddsee launched its new site Viddsee BUZZ to promote independent films from Hong Kong, Japan, Singapore, Malaysia, Cambodia, Thailand, and the Philippines on social media and help them go viral.