MJFOX vs. EWJ
Compare and contrast key facts about Matthews Japan Fund (MJFOX) and iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ).
MJFOX is managed by Matthews. It was launched on Dec 30, 1998. 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
MJFOX vs. EWJ - Performance Comparison
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MJFOX vs. EWJ - Yearly Performance Comparison
| 2026 (YTD) | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MJFOX Matthews Japan Fund | 2.07% | 22.72% | 16.31% | 25.79% | -27.84% | -5.79% | 29.80% | 26.08% | -20.12% | 33.22% |
EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF | 7.11% | 25.84% | 7.03% | 20.29% | -17.72% | 1.16% | 15.40% | 19.34% | -14.10% | 24.27% |
Returns By Period
In the year-to-date period, MJFOX achieves a 2.07% return, which is significantly lower than EWJ's 7.11% return. Over the past 10 years, MJFOX has underperformed EWJ with an annualized return of 8.31%, while EWJ has yielded a comparatively higher 9.04% annualized return.
MJFOX
- 1D
- 4.06%
- 1M
- -9.22%
- YTD
- 2.07%
- 6M
- 5.82%
- 1Y
- 24.95%
- 3Y*
- 19.23%
- 5Y*
- 5.34%
- 10Y*
- 8.31%
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%
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MJFOX vs. EWJ - Expense Ratio Comparison
MJFOX has a 1.05% expense ratio, which is higher than EWJ's 0.49% expense ratio.
Return for Risk
MJFOX vs. EWJ — Risk / Return Rank
MJFOX
EWJ
MJFOX vs. EWJ - Risk-Adjusted Trends Comparison
This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for Matthews Japan Fund (MJFOX) 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.
| MJFOX | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe ratioReturn per unit of total volatility | 1.09 | 1.49 | -0.41 |
Sortino ratioReturn per unit of downside risk | 1.63 | 2.12 | -0.49 |
Omega ratioGain probability vs. loss probability | 1.21 | 1.29 | -0.08 |
Calmar ratioReturn relative to maximum drawdown | 1.39 | 2.35 | -0.96 |
Martin ratioReturn relative to average drawdown | 4.89 | 8.67 | -3.78 |
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month. | |||
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Sharpe Ratios by Period
| MJFOX | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Sharpe Ratio (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 1.09 | 1.49 | -0.41 |
Sharpe Ratio (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period | 0.27 | 0.40 | -0.13 |
Sharpe Ratio (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period | 0.45 | 0.52 | -0.08 |
Sharpe Ratio (All Time)Calculated using the full available price history | 0.34 | 0.10 | +0.24 |
Correlation
The correlation between MJFOX and EWJ is 0.77, 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
MJFOX vs. EWJ - Dividend Comparison
MJFOX's dividend yield for the trailing twelve months is around 1.92%, less than EWJ's 4.22% yield.
| TTM | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 | 2021 | 2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
MJFOX Matthews Japan Fund | 1.92% | 1.96% | 2.12% | 6.09% | 7.19% | 8.08% | 10.15% | 8.63% | 4.14% | 3.90% | 1.15% | 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
MJFOX vs. EWJ - Drawdown Comparison
The maximum MJFOX drawdown since its inception was -63.52%, roughly equal to the maximum EWJ drawdown of -60.93%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for MJFOX and EWJ.
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Drawdown Indicators
| MJFOX | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Max DrawdownLargest peak-to-trough decline | -63.52% | -60.93% | -2.59% |
Max Drawdown (1Y)Largest decline over 1 year | -14.53% | -13.59% | -0.94% |
Max Drawdown (5Y)Largest decline over 5 years | -42.85% | -33.14% | -9.71% |
Max Drawdown (10Y)Largest decline over 10 years | -42.85% | -33.14% | -9.71% |
Current DrawdownCurrent decline from peak | -11.06% | -7.97% | -3.09% |
Average DrawdownAverage peak-to-trough decline | -21.37% | -21.84% | +0.47% |
Ulcer IndexDepth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks | 4.12% | 3.68% | +0.44% |
Volatility
MJFOX vs. EWJ - Volatility Comparison
Matthews Japan Fund (MJFOX) has a higher volatility of 10.22% compared to iShares MSCI Japan ETF (EWJ) at 9.02%. This indicates that MJFOX's price experiences larger fluctuations and is considered to be riskier than EWJ based on this measure. The chart below showcases a comparison of their rolling one-month volatility.
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Volatility by Period
| MJFOX | EWJ | Difference | |
|---|---|---|---|
Volatility (1M)Calculated over the trailing 1-month period | 10.22% | 9.02% | +1.20% |
Volatility (6M)Calculated over the trailing 6-month period | 16.79% | 15.04% | +1.75% |
Volatility (1Y)Calculated over the trailing 1-year period | 23.27% | 21.96% | +1.31% |
Volatility (5Y)Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized | 20.24% | 18.12% | +2.12% |
Volatility (10Y)Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized | 18.76% | 17.32% | +1.44% |