(March 17): Berkshire Hathaway Inc increased its stakes in Japan’s biggest trading houses, three weeks after Warren Buffett’s annual letter to shareholders spurred speculation of such move.

Filings to Japan’s Finance Ministry showed that Berkshire raised its stakes in Mitsubishi Corp, Marubeni Corp, Mitsui & Co, Itochu Corp and Sumitomo Corp.

The news comes after Buffett said in an annual letter to shareholders last month that the Omaha, Nebraska-based conglomerate was looking to increase ownership in the trading houses.

Buffett had originally bought into the trading houses in 2020, later increasing his stake in June 2023. He had originally agreed to keep the holdings below 10%, but in the annual investor letter said that the trading houses had agreed to relax the ceiling “moderately”.

Investors had been speculating over Buffett’s next move as Berkshire Hathaway sold a ¥281.8 billion (US$1.9 billion or RM8.42 billion) multi-tranche bond in October, its second yen bond deal in 2024.

The veteran investor’s focus on Japanese stocks may help prop up sentiment that has been hurt by the risks of higher interest rates, a stronger yen and a global trade war.  

Filings to Japan’s Finance Ministry show:

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