Japanese shares surged on Tuesday after a regulatory filing revealed that Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway had increased its stakes in the country’s top five trading houses.
Berkshire Hathaway, led by the 94-year-old investor, has raised its holdings in Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo by over 1 percentage point each. The investments now range from 8.5% to 9.8%. Following the announcement, shares in these five companies rose at least 4%, with Itochu and Marubeni leading the gains.
The five trading houses are Japan’s largest “sogo shosha,” investing across various sectors domestically and abroad. Buffett had previously indicated his intention to increase his ownership in Japanese stocks, particularly these top trading houses, in his annual letter to shareholders released in February.
Berkshire Hathaway first invested in the five companies in 2019, with its Japanese holdings valued at $23.5 billion as of end-2024. The investment cost a total of $13.8 billion.
Source: https://www.cnbc.com/2025/03/18/itochu-marubeni-mitsubishi-mitsui-sumitomo-shares-rally-buffett-berkshire-hikes-stake.html