Berkshire Hathaway's investment in Japan's five major trading companies (Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsui & Co., and Sumitomo Corporation) is not to be underestimated. As of the latest data in 2025, the cost of this investment is approximately $13.8 billion, equivalent to about HKD 108 billion. After market fluctuations and time accumulation, the current total market value has exceeded $30 billion, equivalent to over HKD 235 billion, which means the book gains have doubled.

In terms of shareholding ratio, Berkshire's average stake approaches or exceeds 9-9.8%, with some trading companies' shareholding ratios even surpassing the 10% cap—this is the result of special approval by the boards of directors of these companies, enough to demonstrate the strategic importance of this investment.

Many people refer to this investment as "HKD 350 billion bottom-fishing in Japanese yen assets," but the actual situation is more rational. Essentially, this is a prudent value investment combined with a low-interest yen debt financing strategy. Specifically, the annual interest cost is about $135 million, while the annual dividend income from the five trading companies is about $812 million. After deducting financing costs, the net profit reaches approximately $677 million. In other words, this investment provides Berkshire with stable cash flow every year.

Warren Buffett has repeatedly stated publicly that Berkshire plans to hold these shares long-term or even "forever," viewing them as high-quality businesses similar to Berkshire itself—high dividends, active buybacks, and global operations. Based on this assessment, it is highly likely that Berkshire will continue to slightly increase its holdings in the future, further strengthening its influence among these leading Japanese trading companies.