New Delhi, May 3 -- Warren Buffett on Saturday gave a full-throated endorsement to the five Japanese trading houses in which his conglomerate Berkshire Hathaway has invested.

Buffett spoke at Berkshire's annual shareholder meeting in Omaha, Nebraska, 1-1/2 months after Berkshire said it raised its stakes in Itochu, Marubeni, Mitsubishi , Mitsui and Sumitomo to as high as 9.8%.

Berkshire's investments in the companies had totaled $23.5 billion at the end of 2024.

"In the next 50 years, we won't give a thought to selling those," Buffett said. "We have been treated extremely well by the five companies.... Our main activity is just to cheer and clap."

Greg Abel, a Berkshire vice chairman who is expected to succeed Buffett as chief executi...