Warren Buffett (Trades, Portfolio) isn’t backing downnot even when markets are rattled. Berkshire Hathaway (NYSE:BRK.A) (NYSE:BRK.B) 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 housesbets 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 Buffettstrike 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 buildingand doing it in decades, not quarters. In a world chasing the next trade, Berkshire is quietly reminding investors what long-term conviction looks like.
This article first appeared on GuruFocus.