Mitsubishi Corp Stock Jumps After Berkshire Hathaway Signals Increased Investment

Shares of Mitsubishi Corp. (8058.T) surged 5.4% to ¥5,122 on Thursday, leading a broad rally across Japan's major trading houses. The gains followed comments from Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel signaling the U.S. investment conglomerate is considering increasing its holdings in the sector.

Berkshire Reaffirms Long-Term Commitment

In interviews with Nikkei and CNBC, Greg Abel, who succeeded Warren Buffett on January 1, 2026, stated that Berkshire Hathaway may "deepen its positions" in Japan's five largest trading houses, known as *sogo shosha*. He emphasized that Berkshire intends to hold these stakes for "many decades," positioning them as a core part of the firm's international strategy, according to the reports.

Abel also addressed a key investor concern by stating that the recent surge in Japanese government bond yields to multi-decade highs does not pose a significant threat to the trading houses' business models. This reassurance helped alleviate a macroeconomic overhang that had been weighing on the sector.

Sector-Wide Rally

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The comments served as a powerful catalyst for the entire *sogo shosha* complex. In addition to Mitsubishi, shares in its peers also advanced significantly:

• Itochu Corp. (8001.T)
• Mitsui & Co. (8031.T)
• Sumitomo Corp. (8053.T)
• Marubeni Corp. (8002.T)

Trading houses were among the top performers on Japan's Topix benchmark index during Thursday's session, helping the broader Nikkei 225 remain in positive territory. Mitsubishi led the gains among the group, as it is Berkshire Hathaway's largest single holding among the five trading houses. As of the end of 2025, Berkshire held a 10.8% stake in Mitsubishi Corp., valued at $9.21 billion.