Key stats
About iShares MSCI Japan Index Fund
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Inception date
Mar 12, 1996
Structure
Open-Ended Fund
Replication method
Physical
Dividend treatment
Distributes
Distribution tax treatment
Qualified dividends
Income tax type
Capital Gains
Max ST capital gains rate
39.60%
Max LT capital gains rate
20.00%
Primary advisor
BlackRock Fund Advisors
Distributor
BlackRock Investments LLC
EWJ provides broad exposure to the Japanese equity market. It was the first Japan-focused ETF to launch in 1996 and quickly became the bellwether for US-based investors wanting Japanese market exposure. The fund excludes the bottom 15% of Japanese companies by market cap, which tilts it slightly larger than our broad benchmark. Otherwise, EWJ is well aligned with the Japanese stock market. While its headline expense ratio stands out as high versus segment peers, actual holding costs as measured by tracking data are more competitive. The fund is a titan when it comes to both on-screen and block liquidity. Ease of trading and massive AUM make EWJ a staple in the segment and combined with marketlike exposure earn the nod for Analyst Pick.
Classification
Returns
| 1 month | 3 months | Year to date | 1 year | 3 years | 5 years | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price performance | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| NAV total return | — | — | — | — | — | — |
What's in the fund
Exposure type
Finance
Producer Manufacturing
Electronic Technology
Consumer Durables
Stocks99.63%
Finance18.10%
Producer Manufacturing12.71%
Electronic Technology12.62%
Consumer Durables12.15%
Health Technology7.86%
Technology Services6.92%
Process Industries4.53%
Communications4.48%
Distribution Services4.42%
Retail Trade4.16%
Consumer Non-Durables4.15%
Transportation2.43%
Utilities1.09%
Consumer Services0.87%
Industrial Services0.80%
Commercial Services0.80%
Non-Energy Minerals0.79%
Energy Minerals0.75%
Bonds, Cash & Other0.37%
Cash0.37%
Stock breakdown by region
Asia100.00%
North America0.00%
Latin America0.00%
Europe0.00%
Africa0.00%
Middle East0.00%
Oceania0.00%
Top 10 holdings
Dividends
Dividend payout history
Assets under management (AUM)
Fund Flows
Frequently Asked Questions
EWJ invests in stocks. The fund's major sectors are Finance, with 18.10% stocks, and Producer Manufacturing, with 12.71% of the basket. The assets are mostly located in the Asia region.
EWJ top holdings are Toyota Motor Corp. and Sony Group Corporation, occupying 4.39% and 4.14% of the portfolio correspondingly.
EWJ last dividends amounted to 1.06 USD. Six months before that, the issuer paid 0.51 USD in dividends, which shows a 52.21% increase.
EWJ assets under management is 14.99 B USD. It's risen 4.05% over the last month.
EWJ fund flows account for −2.34 B USD (1 year). Many traders use this metric to get insight into investors' sentiment and evaluate whether it's time to buy or sell the fund.
Yes, EWJ pays dividends to its holders with the dividend yield of 2.12%. The last dividend (Dec 20, 2024) amounted to 1.06 USD. The dividends are paid semi-annually.
EWJ shares are issued by BlackRock, Inc. under the brand iShares. The ETF was launched on Mar 12, 1996, and its management style is Passive.
EWJ expense ratio is 0.50% meaning you'd have to pay 0.50% of your investment to help manage the fund.
EWJ follows the MSCI Japan. ETFs usually track some benchmark seeking to replicate its performance and guide asset selection and objectives.
EWJ invests in stocks.
EWJ price has risen by 4.64% over the last month, and its yearly performance shows a 8.90% increase. See more dynamics on EWJ price chart.
NAV returns, another gauge of an ETF dynamics, have risen by 3.67% over the last month, showed a 8.02% increase in three-month performance and has increased by 12.25% in a year.
NAV returns, another gauge of an ETF dynamics, have risen by 3.67% over the last month, showed a 8.02% increase in three-month performance and has increased by 12.25% in a year.
EWJ trades at a premium (0.05%) meaning the ETF is trading at a higher price than the calculated NAV.