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Berkshire Hathaway is considering increasing its investments in Japan’s five largest trading houses, reinforcing its long-term commitment to some of the country’s biggest diversified conglomerates.
Itochu Chairperson Masahiro Okafuji told Bloomberg that he believes Berkshire intends to maintain and potentially expand its stakes in the major Japanese trading companies. His comments followed a meeting with Berkshire Hathaway CEO Greg Abel earlier in September.
Abel had already signaled Berkshire’s interest in increasing its exposure to the five companies during an interview with Nikkei earlier this month. The group includes Mitsubishi Corp., Sumitomo Corp., Mitsui & Co., Marubeni Corp. and Itochu Corp., collectively known in Japan as the “sogo shosha.”
Berkshire held stakes ranging from roughly 9% to 11% in the five Japanese trading houses at the end of 2025. Together, the investments were valued at approximately $35 billion, highlighting Japan’s growing importance within Berkshire Hathaway’s international investment portfolio.
Mitsubishi represented Berkshire’s largest position among the five companies, with a 10.8% stake valued at about $9.2 billion.
The Japanese trading-house investment strategy was initially launched under former Berkshire CEO Warren Buffett in 2019. Buffett had praised the companies for their diversified operations, strong business models and attractive valuations.
Japan’s sogo shosha operate across a broad range of industries, including energy, commodities, infrastructure, manufacturing, food and consumer products. Their diversified business structures have made them significant players in both Japan and international markets.
Berkshire’s willingness to potentially raise its holdings suggests the conglomerate continues to view Japan’s major trading houses as long-term investments under Abel’s leadership. Maintaining the strategy would also provide continuity with one of Buffett’s most prominent international investment moves.
Any additional purchases could further increase Berkshire Hathaway’s exposure to the Japanese market and deepen its financial ties with Mitsubishi, Sumitomo, Mitsui, Marubeni and Itochu.
