(Reuters) - Berkshire Hathaway Inc said it has acquired slightly more than 5% of the shares in five large Japanese companies, marking a departure for Chairman Warren Buffett as he looks outside the United States to bolster his conglomerate. In a statement on Sunday, Buffett's 90th birthday, Berkshire said it acquired its stakes in Itochu Corp, Marubeni Corp, Mitsubishi Corp, Mitsui & Co Ltd and Sumitomo Corp over approximately 12 months. Berkshire said it intends to hold the investments for the long term, and may boost its stakes to 9.9%. "I am delighted to have Berkshire Hathaway participate in the future of Japan," Buffett said in a statement. "The five major trading companies have many joint ventures throughout the world and are likely to have more...

Source: International New York Times August 31, 2020 00:06 UTC