【Berkshire 'Buffett Era' is Coming to an End, 'Oracle of Omaha' Criticizes Tariffs and Trade Protectionism】Golden Finance reported that at the annual investment event, the Berkshire Hathaway shareholder meeting, 'Oracle of Omaha' Buffett participated in full, alongside his CEO successor—Greg Abel, the head of Berkshire's non-insurance business, and Ajit Jain, the head of its insurance business, to answer shareholders' questions. During the meeting, although Buffett did not name Trump, he criticized tariffs and trade protectionism, stating that fiscal policy is his biggest concern for the United States, and he repeatedly mentioned the risks of dollar depreciation, warning that if the U.S. government acts irresponsibly, the value of currency could be 'frightening.' Nevertheless, he still hinted at continuing to bet on America wholeheartedly, believing in American exceptionalism. Buffett reaffirmed his positive outlook on Japanese stocks during the meeting, stating that he would continue to hold them for fifty to sixty years, and downplayed the recent fluctuations in the U.S. stock market, claiming it is not a drastic bear market. The quarterly report released earlier this Saturday showed that Berkshire's cash reserves reached $347.7 billion for the quarter, setting a new historical high. In an environment of extremely high uncertainty due to tariffs, Buffett took a cautious stance on current investments, stating that there will be good investment opportunities in the next five years. This year marks the 60th anniversary of Buffett's acquisition of Berkshire, and this shareholder meeting is regarded as the most important in history, possibly the last one Buffett will fully participate in. At the end of the Q&A session, Buffett announced that he plans to propose to the board to step down as CEO by the end of this year. That will mark the beginning of the end of the Berkshire 'Buffett Era,' and investors should prepare for a Berkshire without Buffett at the helm.