LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

LGJG.L (L&G Japan Equity UCITS ETF) and SJPA.L (iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF) are both Japan Equities funds tracking the TOPIX TR JPY, from Legal & General and iShares respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 5 years, LGJG.L returned 10.06%/yr vs 10.02%/yr for SJPA.L. Their correlation of 0.93 suggests significant overlap in exposure. LGJG.L charges 0.10%/yr vs 0.15%/yr for SJPA.L.

Performance

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in L&G Japan Equity UCITS ETF (LGJG.L) and iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

In the year-to-date period, LGJG.L achieves a 14.69% return, which is significantly lower than SJPA.L's 16.31% return.

LGJG.L

• 1D: -0.18%
• 1M: 6.18%
• YTD: 14.69%
• 6M: 14.39%
• 1Y: 31.74%
• 3Y*: 15.35%
• 5Y*: 10.06%
• 10Y*: —

SJPA.L

• 1D: -0.10%
• 1M: 6.32%
• YTD: 16.31%
• 6M: 15.92%
• 1Y: 33.90%
• 3Y*: 15.64%
• 5Y*: 10.02%
• 10Y*: 10.10%

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

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Yearly Performance Comparison

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019
LGJG.L L&G Japan Equity UCITS ETF	14.69%	17.46%	10.01%	13.64%	-6.84%	1.78%	13.24%	11.39%
SJPA.L iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF	16.31%	18.19%	8.36%	12.76%	-6.21%	1.62%	11.03%	11.00%

Correlation

The correlation between LGJG.L and SJPA.L is 0.97 - these two move nearly in lockstep. At this level, holding both provides almost no diversification benefit. If you already own one, adding the other does little to reduce portfolio risk.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.97
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.98
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.98
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Jan 8, 2019	0.93

The correlation between LGJG.L and SJPA.L has been stable across timeframes, ranging from 0.93 to 0.98 - a consistent structural relationship.

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Sectors Allocation Comparison

Sectors	LGJG.L	SJPA.L
Industrials	24.2%	25.7%
Technology	19.8%	18.6%
Financial Services	17.4%	16.4%
Consumer Cyclical	12.5%	12.4%
Communication Services	8.5%	7.5%
Healthcare	5.7%	5.6%
Basic Materials	3.8%	4.5%
Consumer Defensive	3.7%	4.2%
Real Estate	2.7%	3.1%
Utilities	1.0%	1.2%
Energy	0.7%	0.9%

Return for Risk

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L — Risk / Return Rank

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

LGJG.L

LGJG.L Risk / Return Rank: 56
LGJG.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 53
LGJG.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 54
LGJG.L Omega Ratio Rank: 56
LGJG.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 59
LGJG.L Martin Ratio Rank: 55

SJPA.L

SJPA.L Risk / Return Rank: 60
SJPA.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 58
SJPA.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 59
SJPA.L Omega Ratio Rank: 62
SJPA.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 64
SJPA.L Martin Ratio Rank: 59

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.

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for L&G Japan Equity UCITS ETF (LGJG.L) and iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.L). 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.

	LGJG.L	SJPA.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.79	1.92	-0.13
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.57	2.74	-0.18
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.34	1.37	-0.03
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	2.86	3.15	-0.29
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	9.27	10.28	-1.01
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Sharpe Ratio Comparison

The current LGJG.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.79, which is comparable to the SJPA.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.92. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of LGJG.L and SJPA.L, calculated using daily returns over the previous 12 months. A higher Sharpe Ratio indicates better risk-adjusted performance relative to the risk-free rate.

Sharpe Ratios by Period

	LGJG.L	SJPA.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.79	1.92	-0.13
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.65	0.65	-0.01
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	—	0.64	—
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.64	0.57	+0.07

Drawdowns

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum LGJG.L drawdown since its inception was -22.92%, smaller than the maximum SJPA.L drawdown of -24.73%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for LGJG.L and SJPA.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	LGJG.L	SJPA.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-22.92%	-24.73%	+1.81%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-11.04%	-10.71%	-0.33%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.84%	-13.45%	-0.39%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.20%	-18.93%	+0.73%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	—	-24.73%	—
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.18%	-0.10%	-0.08%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-5.15%	-6.68%	+1.53%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.42%	3.29%	+0.13%

Volatility

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Volatility Comparison

L&G Japan Equity UCITS ETF (LGJG.L) and iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.L) have volatilities of 3.71% and 3.82%, 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

	LGJG.L	SJPA.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.71%	3.82%	-0.11%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.24%	14.40%	-0.16%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.63%	17.60%	+0.03%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.58%	15.35%	+0.23%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	16.81%	15.69%	+1.12%

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Expense Ratio Comparison

LGJG.L has a 0.10% expense ratio, which is lower than SJPA.L's 0.15% expense ratio. Despite the difference, both funds are considered low-cost compared to the broader market, where average expense ratios usually range from 0.3% to 0.9%.

Dividends

LGJG.L vs. SJPA.L - Dividend Comparison

Neither LGJG.L nor SJPA.L has paid dividends to shareholders.

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I hold both LGJG.L and SJPA.L in my portfolio?

With a correlation of 0.97, LGJG.L and SJPA.L move almost identically. Holding both adds very little diversification - you're essentially doubling your position in the same market segment. Choosing one is usually more capital-efficient.

Which ETF is better, LGJG.L or SJPA.L?

On fees, LGJG.L is cheaper at 0.10% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

Which ETF is cheaper, LGJG.L or SJPA.L?

LGJG.L is cheaper with a 0.10% expense ratio, compared with 0.15% for SJPA.L.

What is the main difference between LGJG.L and SJPA.L?

Both ETFs track TOPIX TR JPY. They also come from different issuers: Legal & General and iShares. Their fees differ too: 0.10% for LGJG.L and 0.15% for SJPA.L.