What Is EWJ? iShares MSCI Japan ETF
Last updated July 2026
Short answer
EWJ is iShares MSCI Japan ETF, an ETF that tracks a Japanese equity index at a 0.49% expense ratio. EWJ tracks a Japanese equity index. It charges 0.49%. It yields about 3.81%, enough that income is part of the reason people hold it. It has traded since 1996, so its record spans more than one full cycle. The ten largest positions are roughly 30% of assets, with Tokyo Electron the biggest at 4.2%.
EWJ is issued by iShares and tracks a Japanese equity index. It charges a 0.49% expense ratio, holds approximately $22.3B in assets under management, yields about 3.81%, and launched in 1996.
What is EWJ?
EWJ is iShares MSCI Japan ETF, an ETF that tracks a Japanese equity index at a 0.49% expense ratio. EWJ tracks a Japanese equity index. It charges 0.49%. It yields about 3.81%, enough that income is part of the reason people hold it. It has traded since 1996, so its record spans more than one full cycle. The ten largest positions are roughly 30% of assets, with Tokyo Electron the biggest at 4.2%.
EWJ is issued by iShares and tracks a Japanese equity index, so a single ticker gives you the whole portfolio of underlying holdings weighted by the index's methodology rather than by any active stock-picking.
What does EWJ hold?
EWJ is weighted toward its largest constituents. As of August 2026, the top holdings are:
| Rank | Ticker | Company | % of EWJ | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tokyo Electron Ltd | 4.2% | ||
| 2 | Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group Inc | 4.1% | ||
| 3 | Kioxia Holdings Corp Ordinary Shares | 3.4% | ||
| 4 | Toyota Motor Corp | 3.1% | ||
| 5 | Advantest Corp | 2.9% | ||
| 6 | Sumitomo Mitsui Financial Group Inc | 2.8% | ||
| 7 | SoftBank Group Corp | 2.7% | ||
| 8 | Hitachi Ltd | 2.4% | ||
| 9 | Sony Group Corp | 2.3% | ||
| 10 | Murata Manufacturing Co Ltd | 2.2% |
The remaining holdings make up the balance of the fund, with weights tapering off below the top names. Because the index reconstitutes on a rolling basis, the roster stays current without active management. Each ticker above links to its individual stock guide in Walnut.
How do I invest in EWJ?
There are three common ways to get EWJ exposure. Buy shares (or fractional shares) of EWJ directly at any major broker that lists it. Hold it as a core position and layer more concentrated ideas on top. Or build it into a thematic portfolio in Walnut, so EWJ sits alongside other holdings that express the same thesis, with target weights you can rebalance toward. EWJ trades like a stock during market hours, so you buy it the same way you would any listed share.
New to buying funds? See how to buy an ETF, step by step.
Is EWJ a good buy?
Whether EWJ is a good buy depends less on any single call and more on your time horizon and what you already hold: it tracks a Japanese equity index, so the real question is whether you want that exposure in your mix and at what weight. We walk through valuation, concentration, and what would have to be true for it to outperform from here in is EWJ a buy?
The bottom line on EWJ
EWJ gives you a Japanese equity index exposure in one ticker at a 0.49% expense ratio. Most investors use it as a core holding and layer more concentrated thematic portfolios on top.
More on EWJ
Whether EWJ is worth buying today depends more on your time horizon and what you already hold than on any single call. We walk through valuation, concentration, and what would have to be true for it to outperform from here in is EWJ a buy?
EWJ yields 3.81% as of August 2026, paid by passing through the dividends of its underlying holdings. For the payout schedule, history, and how the distributions are taxed, see EWJ dividend: yield and schedule.
New to funds like EWJ? Start with what an ETF is, then how to buy an ETF, or browse the full guide to ETF investing.
Wondering how EWJ fits the portfolio you already own? Walnut is an AI investing app that connects your brokerage read-only and answers questions like that about your actual holdings: overlap, concentration, and how each position tracks the S&P 500. Compare the best AI portfolio analyzers or see the best AI investing apps in 2026.
Investing in EWJ with AI
Connect the broker you already use and ask Walnut's AI how EWJ fits what you actually hold: what it overlaps with, what it leaves you exposed to, and how it has tracked the S&P 500. Read-only by default, and you approve anything before it reaches your broker.
FAQ
What is EWJ's ticker symbol?
+
EWJ, iShares MSCI Japan ETF. Issued by iShares; tracks a Japanese equity index. Trades during US market hours, available at every major US brokerage.
What is EWJ's expense ratio?
+
0.49% as of August 2026.
What are EWJ's top holdings?
+
Top holdings as of August 2026: , , , , and others. See the full holdings table above.
How can I invest in EWJ through Walnut?
+
Walnut isn't a broker. Connect a brokerage and Walnut sits on top to help you build and track thematic portfolios. EWJ can be a constituent alongside individual stocks.
How do I compare EWJ to similar ETFs?
+
Put a few fields side by side: the expense ratio (fees compound over decades), the index or strategy it tracks, the top holdings and how much they overlap with what you already own, the dividend yield, and the AUM, liquidity, and bid-ask spread that affect trading costs. For index funds, tracking error (how closely it follows its index) and tax efficiency matter too. EWJ's figures are above; the full method is in Walnut's guide on how to compare ETFs.
Related ETFs
Walnut is informational, not investment advice. Holdings weights and fund statistics on this page are approximations stamped to August 2026; verify current figures against iShares's fund page or your broker before investing.