If Berkshire Hathaway does add to its Japan picks, it would follow a sit‑down in Japan earlier this month between CEO Greg Abel and the heads of the major trading houses, including Itochu's Masahiro Okafuji, who also chairs the Japan Foreign Trade Council. Abel also told the Nikkei in an interview that Berkshire may lift its ownership in the group, reinforcing that message in person.
On Wednesday, during a routine press briefing at the Foreign Trade Council, Okafuji said he came away convinced Berkshire "intends to hold its stakes in the trading houses for the long term and is even considering increasing its holdings." He added that Berkshire "does not nitpick the trading houses' activity." According to Okafuji, Berkshire has praised the sector's "economic moat" built on broad global networks and sophisticated capital allocation that together set a high bar for would‑be rivals. Berkshire, formerly under Warren Buffett's leadership, began buying these stocks more than six years ago, and since then it has consistently expanded its exposure. It routinely taps the market with yen‑denominated bond offerings.
Berkshire's ownership in Mitsubishi Corp., Sumitomo Corp., Mitsui & Co., Marubeni Corp., and Itochu Corp. is already north of 10%. Okafuji said Berkshire indicated it "would not make a fuss even if those stakes were raised to 15%," adding, "As a shareholder, that makes Berkshire extremely valuable to us." He also noted that while joint business is often floated, Berkshire's role as a shareholder could create conflicts if they pursue larger deals together.
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If Berkshire keeps leaning in, it signals a vote of confidence in Japan's trading houses and their durable cash‑flow engines. For everyday investors, it is another reminder that patient capital tends to gravitate toward companies with entrenched advantages and disciplined investment chops, even halfway around the world.
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