TOKYO, Nov 5 (Reuters) - Japanese trading house Mitsui ( MITSF )

said on Wednesday it was raising its annual profit

forecast by 6% due to an improved performance from its liquefied

natural gas and mineral and metal resources businesses.

It now expects a net profit of 820 billion yen ($5.4

billion) for the year ending in March, though that still

represents a decline of 8.9% from the previous year.

For the half year, net profit climbed 2.9% from the same

period a year ago to 423.7 billion yen.

Mitsui ( MITSF ), in which Berkshire Hathaway ( BRK/A ) owns a 10%

stake, also said it plans to spend 200 billion yen on share

buybacks and to cancel treasury stock equivalent to 2.77% of

outstanding stock by the end of March.

The trading house's business interests span fossil fuel

production and trading, renewable energy and food.