Berkshire boosts stakes in Japanese trading houses

TOKYO — Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway increased its holdings in five Japanese trading houses to close to 10%, backing up his earlier stated policy of increasing the stakes gradually.

The stakes were increased to 9.82% from 8.09% for Mitsui & Co., to 9.67% from 8.31% for Mitsubishi, to 9.3% from 8.3% for Marubeni, to 9.29% from 8.23% for Sumitomo, and to 8.53% from 7.47% for Itochu.