Warren Buffet swings billions into Japanese stocks: Pete Wargent

EXPERT OBSERVER

Interesting move from the birthday boy Warren Buffett, swinging hard into Japanese stocks.

Japan's stock market was arguably the biggest bubble in history, accounting for nearly half the global market cap at one stage.

Even the US only hit half of Japan's lofty peaks as measured by CAPE during the tech exuberance.

Japan took 30 years to reach fair value, after land values fell the country sank into deflation with its ageing and declining population.

The US market now looks very expensive again, while the UK looks relatively cheap by comparison.

Australia lies in the middle, with quite a bit (as ever) resting on your views on the outlook for banks.

Buffett has bought shares in Japan's five largest trading companies, including Mitsubishi and Sumitomo, perhaps in part a foreign currency play.

This equates to an investment of about $6.25 billion per CNBC, and Buffett may increase holdings up to 9.9 per cent stakes, to be held for the long term.

PETE WARGENT is the co-founder of AllenWargent property buyers and a best-selling author and blogger