In recent months, American business magnate Warren Buffett has made his case for Japan clear as he boosts investment in the market, with the 92-year-old Coca-Cola-drinking Berkshire Hathaway chairman buying into a number of Japanese trading houses. The play, which has coincided with a series of stock market reforms, has drawn global attention to the sometimes overlooked market.
American investment firms such as Bain Capital have also expanded their footprints in Japan since late last year, while hedge fund managers like Ken Griffin are looking to deepen their positions, but Buffett’s stature in the business world and emphatic comments mean his investments have carried extra weight.
“Warren Buffett is looking for investments globally, and he's decided that Japan is the place to be,” said Graeme Knowd, president of consulting firm Knowd Advisory. “I think it reminds people that they should take another look at Japan and see if he's seeing something that they're missing.”