Berkshire Hathaway, owned by Warren Buffett, increased its stake in five Japanese trading companies, becoming a major investor in the largest Japanese trading companies-suppliers of goods. These changes were confirmed by regulatory documents presented on Monday. Berkshire's stake in Mitsubishi Corporation and its affiliates increased from 8.09% to 9.82%. The stakes in Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Itochu, and Marubeni also increased to several percentage points. This strategy began approximately five years ago.
"Six companies agreed to somewhat loosen restrictions, which allowed us to increase our stake moderately," the documents stated, which came after Buffett's annual letter to Berkshire shareholders last month. The investment moves of Berkshire Hathaway in Japan have been another step in the company’s effort to diversify its portfolio.
