Was this investment idea originated from Warren Buffett himself, or was it driven by his successors (Greg Abel, Todd Combs, Ted Weschler)?

Answer

This investment in Japan's five major trading houses was primarily the idea of Warren Buffett himself. Around 2020, he personally decided and drove this investment, mentioning multiple times in Berkshire Hathaway's shareholder letters that it stemmed from his personal insight and decision. Buffett emphasized that these investments were based on his long-term valuation assessment of these companies and the low valuation opportunities in the Japanese market.

Role of Successors

• Greg Abel: As head of Berkshire Energy and the designated CEO successor, he is primarily responsible for operational management and was not directly involved in this investment decision.
• Todd Combs and Ted Weschler: As investment managers, they oversee portions of Berkshire's stock portfolio. However, this Japanese trading house investment was not initiated by them but led by Buffett. They may have provided support in execution or subsequent management, but the original idea originated with Buffett.

Overall, this reflects Buffett's classic value investing style, rather than being successor-driven.