Warren Buffett Bets Big in Japan While Everyone Else Runs Scared

As markets panic over tariffs, Berkshire Hathaway quietly locks in long-term yen funding and deepens its Japan play

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Apr 11, 2025
Summary
  • Buffett issues ¥90B bond in Japan—his boldest move yet during a global investor retreat.
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Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) isn't backing down—not even when markets are rattled. Berkshire Hathaway (BRK.A, Financial) (BRK.B, Financial) just priced a ¥90 billion ($629 million) six-part yen bond deal, right as global markets wobble under the weight of rising tariffs and recession fears. Japanese firms are scrapping bond sales left and right. But Buffett? He's issuing paper across maturities from 3 to 30 years. This is Berkshire's smallest yen issuance to date, but the message is anything but small: while others pull back, Buffett is planting flags.

This move isn't happening in isolation. Berkshire has quietly built stakes in Japan's five major trading houses—bets that look smarter by the day. Now, with yen bond yields inching higher and volatility keeping weaker hands on the sidelines, Buffett is locking in long-term funding in a market he's been doubling down on since 2020. It's classic Buffett—strike when the mood is fearful, hold when others fold.

If you're tracking Japan-focused ETFs, this could be your signal. While headlines scream tariffs and turmoil, Buffett's building—and doing it in decades, not quarters. In a world chasing the next trade, Berkshire is quietly reminding investors what long-term conviction looks like.

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