TOKYO -- Japan's trading houses stand at a critical juncture less than two years after receiving a personal visit and endorsement from billionaire investor Warren Buffett.

As financial and economic realities shift, Japanese trading houses must prove they are more than a value play. (Nikkei montage/Source photos by Takuya Fujisawa, Keigo Yoshida, Shinya Sawai and Reuters)
Mitsubishi Corp. and Mitsui & Co. must retain investor faith amid cloudy outlook