- ISIN
- US5771308005
- CUSIP
- 577130800
- Issuer
- Matthews
- Inception Date
- Dec 30, 1998
- Category
- Japan Equities
- Min. Investment
- $2,500
- Distribution Policy
- Distributing
- Asset Class
- Equity
- Asset Class Size
- Large-Cap
- Asset Class Style
- Growth
Share Price Chart
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Performance
MJFOX Performance Chart
Matthews Japan Fund (MJFOX) is up 22.1% since the beginning of the year. MJFOX is currently trading at $29 per share. Investors who bought $1,000 worth of MJFOX shares 5 years ago would now be looking at an investment worth $1,581.
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Returns By Period
Matthews Japan Fund (MJFOX) has returned 22.07% so far this year and 37.38% over the past 12 months. Over the last ten years, MJFOX has returned 9.75% per year, falling short of the S&P 500 Index benchmark, which averaged 13.71% annually.
Matthews Japan Fund
- 1D
- 0.93%
- 1M
- 6.13%
- YTD
- 22.07%
- 6M
- 20.66%
- 1Y
- 37.38%
- 3Y*
- 25.38%
- 5Y*
- 9.60%
- 10Y*
- 9.75%
Benchmark (S&P 500 Index)
- 1D
- -1.44%
- 1M
- -1.45%
- YTD
- 7.60%
- 6M
- 6.59%
- 1Y
- 22.24%
- 3Y*
- 19.20%
- 5Y*
- 11.54%
- 10Y*
- 13.71%
MJFOX Monthly Returns History
Based on dividend-adjusted daily data since Dec 31, 1998, MJFOX's average daily return is +0.04%, while the average monthly return is +0.75%. At this rate, an investment would double in approximately 7.7 years.
Historically, 55% of months were positive and 45% were negative. The best month was Mar 1999 with a return of +24.1%, while the worst month was Oct 2008 at -16.3%. The longest winning streak lasted 13 consecutive months, and the longest losing streak was 10 months.
On a daily basis, MJFOX closed higher 51% of trading days. The best single day was Oct 13, 2008 with a return of +8.1%, while the worst single day was Mar 14, 2011 at -9.8%.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | 4.60% | 9.32% | -10.74% | 9.26% | 5.24% | 3.99% | 22.07% | ||||||
| 2025 | 3.25% | -2.66% | 0.20% | 4.76% | 5.21% | 2.43% | -4.26% | 6.06% | 2.90% | 3.74% | -1.05% | 0.66% | 22.72% |
| 2024 | 2.62% | 6.43% | 5.57% | -6.51% | 3.96% | 0.66% | 5.50% | 2.72% | -0.00% | -5.86% | 3.31% | -2.16% | 16.31% |
| 2023 | 6.71% | -4.72% | 6.34% | -0.74% | 1.13% | 4.51% | 2.19% | -2.26% | -3.79% | -4.13% | 8.09% | 11.37% | 25.79% |
| 2022 | -9.87% | -3.21% | -3.89% | -8.86% | 3.26% | -10.21% | 6.90% | -5.20% | -9.27% | 3.34% | 11.03% | -3.45% | -27.84% |
| 2021 | -2.02% | -2.54% | -0.91% | -1.09% | 1.06% | -0.29% | -1.09% | 3.73% | 2.70% | 0.08% | -1.31% | -4.00% | -5.79% |
Benchmark Metrics
Matthews Japan Fund has an annualized alpha of 4.63%, beta of 0.57, and R2 of 0.29 versus S&P 500 Index. Calculated based on daily prices since December 31, 1998.
- This fund participates in less of S&P 500 Index's moves in both directions, but captures a larger share of gains (71.39%) than losses (67.19%) - typical of diversified or defensive assets.
- Beta of 0.57 may look defensive, but with R2 of 0.29 this fund is largely uncorrelated with S&P 500 Index - low beta reflects independence, not downside protection. See the Volatility section for a true picture of this fund's risk.
- R2 of 0.29 means this fund moves largely independently of S&P 500 Index - capture ratios reflect limited market correlation rather than active downside protection. Consider using a more representative benchmark.
- Alpha
- 4.63%
- Beta
- 0.57
- R²
- 0.29
- Upside Capture
- 71.39%
- Downside Capture
- 67.19%
Expense Ratio
MJFOX has a high expense ratio of 1.05%, indicating above-average management fees.
Return for Risk
Risk / Return Rank
MJFOX ranks 46 for risk / return — on par with similar mutual funds. You're getting a typical balance of risk and reward. Not a standout, but not a red flag either — a reasonable choice if other factors align with your goals.
Return / Risk — by metrics
The table below present risk-adjusted performance metrics for Matthews Japan Fund (MJFOX) and compare them to S&P 500 Index.
Values are calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. Risk-adjusted metrics are more stable over longer periods — use the period switch above to explore them.
| MJFOX | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | -0.02 | ||
| Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | +0.10 | ||
| Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.32 | 1.32 | 0.00 |
| Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 2.73 | 2.46 | +0.28 |
| Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 9.68 | 10.92 | -1.23 |
Dividends
Dividend History
Matthews Japan Fund provided a 1.60% dividend yield over the last twelve months, with an annual payout of $0.47 per share.
| Period | TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dividend | $0.47 | $0.47 | $0.43 | $1.07 | $1.07 | $1.78 | $2.57 | $1.86 | $0.77 | $0.94 | $0.22 |
Dividend yield | 1.60% | 1.96% | 2.12% | 6.09% | 7.19% | 8.08% | 10.15% | 8.63% | 4.14% | 3.90% | 1.15% |
Monthly Dividends
The table displays the monthly dividend distributions for Matthews Japan Fund. The dividends shown in the table have been adjusted to account for any splits that may have occurred.
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Total | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | ||||||
| 2025 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.47 | $0.47 |
| 2024 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.43 | $0.43 |
| 2023 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.07 | $1.07 |
| 2022 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.07 | $1.07 |
| 2021 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $0.00 | $1.78 | $1.78 |
Drawdowns
Drawdowns Chart
The Drawdowns chart displays portfolio losses from any high point along the way. Drawdowns are calculated considering price movements and all distributions paid, if any.
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Worst Drawdowns
The table below displays the maximum drawdowns of the Matthews Japan Fund. A maximum drawdown is a measure of risk, indicating the largest reduction in portfolio value due to a series of losing trades.
The maximum drawdown for the Matthews Japan Fund was 63.52%, occurring on Apr 14, 2003. Recovery took 2982 trading sessions.
Related event | Drawdown | Fall | Recovery | Underwater |
|---|---|---|---|---|
2003 bear market2003 | -63.52%Apr 2003 | 3y 11d | 11y 10mo | 14y 10moApr 2000 - Feb 2015 |
Bear market2022 | -42.85%Oct 2022 | 1y 28d | 1y 11mo | 3y 11dSep 2021 - Sep 2024 |
COVID crash2020 | -32.68%Mar 2020 | 2y 1mo | 5mo 11d | 2y 6moJan 2018 - Aug 2020 |
2000 bear market2000 | -22.98%Jan 2000 | 3mo 23d | 2mo 23d | 6mo 16dSep 1999 - Mar 2000 |
2025 selloff2025 | -17.14%Apr 2025 | 6mo 12d | 1mo 5d | 7mo 17dSep 2024 - May 2025 |
Drawdown Indicators
| MJFOX | Benchmark | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.52% | -56.78% | -6.74% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.53% | -9.10% | -5.43% |
Max Drawdown (3Y)Largest decline over 3 years | -17.14% | -18.90% | +1.76% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -42.85% | -25.43% | -17.42% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.85% | -33.92% | -8.93% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | 0.00% | -3.21% | +3.21% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.22% | -10.71% | -10.51% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.05% | 2.04% | +2.01% |
Volatility
Volatility Chart
The chart below shows the rolling one-month volatility.
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