Warren Buffett has warned shareholders his time is nearly up, talked up his successor, and taken steps to protect Berkshire Hathaway and his legacy.

The lifeline that Warren Buffett just handed Shigeru Ishiba couldn’t come at a better moment for the beleaguered Japanese prime minister.

Berkshire Hathaway has been building up its cash position to its highest-ever levels over the past two years, and that sends some clear messages about what Buffett's thinking about the market. Combined with his net sales of stocks, he seems to think there aren't so many great deals to be had in the market.