Berkshire Hathaway Considers Upping Stakes in Japan's Major Trading Houses, Report Says

Berkshire Hathaway is reportedly considering an increase to its substantial holdings in Japan's five largest trading houses. The potential move signals a deepening of the conglomerate's significant, multi-billion dollar bet on the Japanese economy.

Indication of Increased Investment

The report, published by Bloomberg on Thursday, cites comments from Itochu Corp. Chairperson Masahiro Okafuji. After a meeting with Berkshire CEO Greg Abel earlier in September, Okafuji stated his belief that the investment firm intends to not only maintain its long-term stakes in the trading houses but potentially increase them.

This sentiment aligns with previous statements from Abel, who told the Nikkei earlier in the month that Berkshire planned to boost its holdings in the group. These firms, known as sogo shosha, are sprawling conglomerates with diversified business interests.

A Closer Look at the Holdings

Berkshire Hathaway's investment, first initiated by Warren Buffett in 2019, targets the five largest players in the sector. As of the end of 2025, the firm's stakes were valued at a total of $35 billion.

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The five companies are:

• Mitsubishi Corp. (TYO:8058)
• Sumitomo Corp. (TYO:8053)
• Mitsui & Co., Ltd. (TYO:8031)
• Marubeni Corp. (TYO:8002)
• Itochu Corp. (TYO:8001)

Berkshire's stakes in each of the five firms ranged from 9% to 11% as of late 2025. The largest single position was a 10.8% stake in Mitsubishi, worth $9.2 billion at the time.

Strategic Context

The initial investment was praised by Buffett for the Japanese firms' highly diversified business models and what he considered to be attractive valuations. The continued interest from Berkshire's current leadership suggests the long-term strategic thesis for holding these commodity and trade-focused giants remains intact, representing a significant vote of confidence in their performance and role in the global economy.