The top executive at Marubeni has affirmed the Japanese trading house’s commitment to a long-term partnership with Berkshire Hathaway, echoing sentiments recently expressed by the U.S. investment firm.
"With respect to our dialogue with Berkshire, we see a good alignment in philosophy of creating long-term value,” said Masayuki Omoto, Marubeni president and CEO. "We hope to have a good collaboration with them in the future.”
Berkshire has steadily increased its stakes in Japan’s five largest trading houses, with Chairperson Warren Buffett signaling in February that he plans to boost holdings further. The companies — which run businesses spanning from overseas oil and gas production to salmon farming and TV shopping — have outpaced the broader market since Buffett’s initial investments in them were disclosed in 2020.
The so-called "Oracle of Omaha," who will relinquish his leadership role at the company he founded by the end of the year, said earlier this month that he expects Berkshire Hathaway to hold its investments in Marubeni and other Japanese trading houses for 50 years or more.
Omoto said that he’s "cautiously optimistic” on the economic outlook following the U.S.-China deal to ease tariffs. Still, the company is looking for potential opportunities as trade flows change, he said, mentioning that there may be upside in the Brazilian agricultural sector.
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