SJPA.L vs. XMJP.L

Last updated Jun 5, 2026

SJPA.L (iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF) and XMJP.L (Xtrackers MSCI Japan UCITS ETF 1C) are both Japan Equities funds tracking the TOPIX TR JPY, from iShares and Xtrackers respectively. Both are passively managed. Over the past 10 years, SJPA.L returned 10.10%/yr vs 10.26%/yr for XMJP.L. Their correlation of 0.90 suggests significant overlap in exposure. SJPA.L charges 0.15%/yr vs 0.20%/yr for XMJP.L.

Performance

SJPA.L vs. XMJP.L - Performance Comparison

The chart below illustrates the hypothetical performance of a £10,000 investment in iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.L) and Xtrackers MSCI Japan UCITS ETF 1C (XMJP.L). The values are adjusted to include any dividend payments, if applicable.

Returns By Period

The year-to-date returns for both investments are quite close, with SJPA.L having a 16.31% return and XMJP.L slightly higher at 16.45%. Both investments have delivered pretty close results over the past 10 years, with SJPA.L having a 10.10% annualized return and XMJP.L not far ahead at 10.26%.

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%

XMJP.L

• 1D: -0.26%
• 1M: 6.26%
• YTD: 16.45%
• 6M: 15.56%
• 1Y: 34.15%
• 3Y*: 15.63%
• 5Y*: 10.23%
• 10Y*: 10.26%

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

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

	2026 (YTD)	2025	2024	2023	2022	2021	2020	2019	2018	2017
SJPA.L iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF	16.31%	18.19%	8.36%	12.76%	-6.21%	1.62%	11.03%	14.68%	-9.15%	14.69%
XMJP.L Xtrackers MSCI Japan UCITS ETF 1C	16.45%	17.49%	9.14%	13.88%	-7.09%	2.11%	12.34%	14.37%	-8.64%	13.19%

Correlation

The correlation between SJPA.L and XMJP.L is 0.85, indicating a strong positive relationship between their price movements. Combining them offers limited diversification - they tend to fall together during downturns.

	Correlation
Correlation (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	0.85
Correlation (3Y) Calculated over the trailing 3-year period	0.94
Correlation (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.96
Correlation (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.97
Correlation (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history since Nov 27, 2009	0.90

The correlation between SJPA.L and XMJP.L shifts across timeframes, from 0.85 (1 year) to 0.97 (10 years), reflecting how their relationship changes across market environments.

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

Sectors	SJPA.L	XMJP.L
Industrials	25.7%	26.0%
Technology	18.6%	19.1%
Financial Services	16.4%	17.5%
Consumer Cyclical	12.4%	12.2%
Communication Services	7.5%	7.9%
Healthcare	5.6%	6.3%
Basic Materials	4.5%	3.0%
Consumer Defensive	4.2%	3.6%
Real Estate	3.1%	2.3%
Utilities	1.2%	1.1%
Energy	0.9%	1.1%

Return for Risk

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

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

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

XMJP.L

XMJP.L Risk / Return Rank: 59
XMJP.L Sharpe Ratio Rank: 57
XMJP.L Sortino Ratio Rank: 58
XMJP.L Omega Ratio Rank: 59
XMJP.L Calmar Ratio Rank: 65
XMJP.L Martin Ratio Rank: 58

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.

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

This table presents a comparison of risk-adjusted performance metrics for iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.L) and Xtrackers MSCI Japan UCITS ETF 1C (XMJP.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.

	SJPA.L	XMJP.L	Difference
Sharpe ratio: Return per unit of total volatility	1.92	1.88	+0.04
Sortino ratio: Return per unit of downside risk	2.74	2.71	+0.03
Omega ratio: Gain probability vs. loss probability	1.37	1.35	+0.02
Calmar ratio: Return relative to maximum drawdown	3.15	3.19	-0.04
Martin ratio: Return relative to average drawdown	10.28	10.22	+0.06
Data is calculated on a 1-year rolling basis and updated daily. The trend shows the change in the indicator over the past month.

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

The current SJPA.L Sharpe Ratio is 1.92, which is comparable to the XMJP.L Sharpe Ratio of 1.88. The chart below compares the historical Sharpe Ratios of SJPA.L and XMJP.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

	SJPA.L	XMJP.L	Difference
Sharpe Ratio (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	1.92	1.88	+0.04
Sharpe Ratio (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period	0.65	0.65	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period	0.64	0.64	0.00
Sharpe Ratio (All Time) Calculated using the full available price history	0.57	0.40	+0.17

Drawdowns

SJPA.L vs. XMJP.L - Drawdown Comparison

The maximum SJPA.L drawdown since its inception was -24.73%, smaller than the maximum XMJP.L drawdown of -28.91%. Use the drawdown chart below to compare losses from any high point for SJPA.L and XMJP.L.

Drawdown Indicators

	SJPA.L	XMJP.L	Difference
Max Drawdown Largest peak-to-trough decline	-24.73%	-28.91%	+4.18%
Max Drawdown (1Y) Largest decline over 1 year	-10.71%	-10.65%	-0.06%
Max Drawdown (3Y) Largest decline over 3 years	-13.45%	-14.29%	+0.84%
Max Drawdown (5Y) Largest decline over 5 years	-18.93%	-18.48%	-0.45%
Max Drawdown (10Y) Largest decline over 10 years	-24.73%	-24.22%	-0.51%
Current Drawdown Current decline from peak	-0.10%	-0.26%	+0.16%
Average Drawdown Average peak-to-trough decline	-6.68%	-7.44%	+0.76%
Ulcer Index Depth and duration of drawdowns from previous peaks	3.29%	3.33%	-0.04%

Volatility

SJPA.L vs. XMJP.L - Volatility Comparison

iShares Core MSCI Japan IMI UCITS ETF (SJPA.L) and Xtrackers MSCI Japan UCITS ETF 1C (XMJP.L) have volatilities of 3.82% and 3.89%, 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

	SJPA.L	XMJP.L	Difference
Volatility (1M) Calculated over the trailing 1-month period	3.82%	3.89%	-0.07%
Volatility (6M) Calculated over the trailing 6-month period	14.40%	14.76%	-0.36%
Volatility (1Y) Calculated over the trailing 1-year period	17.60%	18.08%	-0.48%
Volatility (5Y) Calculated over the trailing 5-year period, annualized	15.35%	15.78%	-0.43%
Volatility (10Y) Calculated over the trailing 10-year period, annualized	15.69%	15.90%	-0.21%

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

SJPA.L has a 0.15% expense ratio, which is lower than XMJP.L's 0.20% 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

SJPA.L vs. XMJP.L - Dividend Comparison

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

Tickers have no history of dividend payments

Frequently Asked Questions

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

SJPA.L and XMJP.L have a correlation of 0.85, meaning they provide meaningful diversification benefit when combined. Depending on your allocation goals, holding both could reduce overall portfolio risk.

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

On fees, SJPA.L is cheaper at 0.15% per year. The better choice depends on whether you care most about return, fees, risk, or income.

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

SJPA.L is cheaper with a 0.15% expense ratio, compared with 0.20% for XMJP.L.

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

Both ETFs track TOPIX TR JPY. They also come from different issuers: iShares and Xtrackers. Their fees differ too: 0.15% for SJPA.L and 0.20% for XMJP.L.