Is there a way to invest in Berkshire Hathaway without converting yen to USD?

[regular]

Dear investors,

I would like to invest in Berkshire Hathaway stock (BRK.B) but do not want to convert from yen to USD at the current Fx rate. Is there a way to get this exposure in Japan, while remaining exposed to the JPY.

If no simple way is known to anyone, is there a not-so-simple-but-inexpensive way to do it? I am a permanent resident who earns and spends in yen.

Regards

[RetireJapan]

I'm not sure there is a way to do that. BRK is a US-listed stock, so you will have to buy it in USD (easy to do through the major Japanese brokers or any US/international broker).

However, I don't understand why you are against changing money from yen to dollars.

If you change your yen into dollars to buy the stock, you will buy x amount of stock equivalent to the value of your dollars (and thus the current yen value).

If you somehow manage to buy the stock using yen, you will buy x amount of stock equivalent to the value of your yen.

The amount of stock you are able to buy in these two scenarios should be almost identical.

[regular]

Ben,

Years of monetization has distorted the yen-dollar rate, so I do not know what is a fair rate anymore. But my hope to get a chance to convert to USD at a better Fx rate in future is making me reluctant to be exposed to USD right now.

Question to those investing through Interactive Brokers or (similar), is it possible to deposit JPY in IB account and then borrow USD against those yen deposit to invest in USD denominated stocks? I am not a trader, so if they keep charging me 10 USD a month for non-activity, I won't do it.

I am also a non-US person. I haven't yet considered the tax or inheritance implications of doing these yet.

Regards,

[jiro.becker]

regular,

I have a margin account with I.B. that I fund with non-USD currencies.

When I buy BRK.B, I buy them in USD and I.B. lends me the corresponding amount against my non-USD deposits. So in principle, I could wait until the USD.JPY rate improves before I square my short USD position, as you are suggesting.

However, I.B. charges interest for lending me USD, and since I am confident I wouldn't be able to offset these fees by speculating on better exchange rates, I almost always immediately convert to USD.

[captainspoke]

^^^ So much this!

Margin loan rates will eat you up. Thinking about a $10 inactivity fee is "penny wise, pound foolish."