JPAN vs. EWJ

Last updated Apr 2, 2026

Compare and contrast key facts about Matthews Japan Active ETF (JPAN) and iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ).

JPAN and EWJ are both exchange-traded funds (ETFs), meaning they are traded on stock exchanges and can be bought and sold throughout the day. JPAN is an actively managed fund by Matthews. It was launched on Sep 21, 2023. EWJ is a passively managed fund by iShares that tracks the performance of the MSCI Japan Index. It was launched on Mar 12, 1996.

Performance

JPAN vs. EWJ - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a $10,000 investment in Matthews Japan Active ETF (JPAN) and iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

JPAN vs. EWJ - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023
JPAN Matthews Japan Active ETF	5.22%	22.96%	18.16%	5.77%
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF	7.11%	25.84%	7.03%	5.24%

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, JPAN achieves a 5.22% return, which is significantly lower than EWJ's 7.11% return.

JPAN

• 1D: 3.00%
• 1M: -5.31%
• YTD: 5.22%
• 6M: 9.80%
• 1Y: 29.80%
• 3Y*: —
• 5Y*: —
• 10Y*: —

EWJ

• 1D: 2.42%
• 1M: -4.12%
• YTD: 7.11%
• 6M: 11.85%
• 1Y: 32.61%
• 3Y*: 17.20%
• 5Y*: 7.13%
• 10Y*: 9.04%

*Multi-year figures are annualized to reflect compound growth (CAGR)

JPAN vs. EWJ - Expense Ratio Comparison

JPAN has a 0.79% expense ratio, which is higher than EWJ's 0.49% expense ratio.

JPAN

Matthews Japan Active ETF

EWJ

iShares MSCI Japan ETF

Return for Risk

JPAN vs. EWJ — Risk / Return Rank

Compare risk-adjusted metric ranks to identify better-performing investments over the past 12 months.

JPAN

JPAN Risk / Return Rank: 71
JPAN Sharpe Ratio Rank: 73
JPAN Sortino Ratio Rank: 74
JPAN Omega Ratio Rank: 69
JPAN Calmar Ratio Rank: 70
JPAN Martin Ratio Rank: 67

EWJ

EWJ Risk / Return Rank: 78
EWJ Sharpe Ratio Rank: 78
EWJ Sortino Ratio Rank: 80
EWJ Omega Ratio Rank: 75
EWJ Calmar Ratio Rank: 81
EWJ Martin Ratio Rank: 77

The rank (0–100) shows how this investment's returns compare to the risk taken. Higher = better. Based on the past 12 months of data, combining Sharpe, Sortino, and other metrics used by quantitative funds and institutional investors.

JPAN vs. EWJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Matthews Japan Active ETF (JPAN) and iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ). Risk-adjusted metrics are performance indicators that assess an investment's returns in relation to its risk, enabling a more accurate comparison of different investment options.

	JPAN	EWJ	Difference
Sharpe ratio Return per unit of total volatility	1.39	1.49	-0.11
Sortino ratio Return per unit of downside risk	1.98	2.12	-0.14
Omega ratio Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.27	1.29	-0.02
Calmar ratio Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.00	2.35	-0.35
Martin ratio Return relative to average drawdown	7.54	8.67	-1.13
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

JPAN vs. EWJ - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current JPAN Sharpe Ratio is 1.39, which is comparable to the EWJ Sharpe Ratio of 1.49. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of JPAN and EWJ, offering insights into how both investments have performed under varying market conditions. These values are calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	JPAN	EWJ	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.39	1.49	-0.11
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	—	0.40	—
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.52	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	1.10	0.10	+1.00

Correlation

The correlation between JPAN and EWJ is 0.96, which is considered to be high. That indicates a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Having highly-correlated positions in a portfolio may signal a lack of diversification, potentially leading to increased risk during market downturns.

Dividends

JPAN vs. EWJ - Dividend Comparison

JPAN's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 4.85%, more than EWJ's 4.22% yield.

	TTM	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017	2016	2015
JPAN Matthews Japan Active ETF	4.85%	5.10%	1.53%	0.51%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%	0.00%
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF	4.22%	4.52%	2.34%	2.03%	1.23%	2.08%	1.04%	2.03%	1.71%	1.25%	1.95%	1.27%

Drawdowns

JPAN vs. EWJ - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum JPAN drawdown since its inception was -15.24%, smaller than the maximum EWJ drawdown of -60.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for JPAN and EWJ.

Drawdown Indicators

	JPAN	EWJ	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-15.24%	-60.93%	+45.69%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-14.59%	-13.59%	-1.00%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	—	-33.14%	—
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-33.14%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-8.64%	-7.97%	-0.67%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-3.06%	-21.84%	+18.78%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.86%	3.68%	+0.18%

Volatility

JPAN vs. EWJ - Volatility Comparison

Matthews Japan Active ETF (JPAN) and iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) have volatilities of 9.10% and 9.02%, respectively, indicating that both stocks experience similar levels of price fluctuations. This suggests that the risk associated with both stocks, as measured by volatility, is nearly the same. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.

Volatility by Period

	JPAN	EWJ	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	9.10%	9.02%	+0.08%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	15.22%	15.04%	+0.18%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	21.62%	21.96%	-0.34%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	19.15%	18.12%	+1.03%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	19.15%	17.32%	+1.83%