Warren Buffett switches investment focus from US to Japan

Berkshire Hathaway chairman and CEO Warren Buffett

Berkshire Hathaway has bought a 5% stake in each of Japan’s five biggest trading houses, together worth over $6bn (€5bn), marking a departure for chairman Warren Buffett as he looks beyond the US to diversify his conglomerate.

The long-term investment in Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi, Mitsui, and Sumitomo could see the stakes rise to 9.9%, Berkshire said at the weekend as Mr Buffett celebrated his 90th birthday.