12/31/1998
Inception Date
1.66%
YTD Return
(as of 01/15/2021)
$25.69
Price
(as of 01/15/2021)
$1.65 billion
Fund Assets
(as of 12/31/2020)
Long-term capital appreciation
Under normal circumstances, the Matthews Japan Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Japan. The Fund seeks to invest in companies capable of sustainable growth based on the fundamental characteristics of those companies, including balance sheet information; number of employees; size and stability of cash flow; management’s depth, adaptability and integrity; product lines; marketing strategies; corporate governance; and financial health.
Investments in Asian securities may involve risks such as social and political instability, market illiquidity, exchange-rate fluctuations, a high level of volatility and limited regulation. In addition, investments in a single-country fund, which is considered a non-diversified fund, may be subject to a higher degree of market risk than diversified funds because of concentration in a specific country.
The risks associated with investing in the Fund can be found in the prospectus.
| Inception Date | 12/31/1998 | |
| Fund Assets | $1.65 billion (12/31/2020) | |
| Currency | USD | |
| Ticker | MJFOX | |
| Cusip | 577-130-800 | |
| Portfolio Turnover | 25.42% | |
| Benchmark | MSCI Japan Index | |
| Geographic Focus | Japan | |
| Gross Expense Ratio | 0.93% | |
Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. All performance is in US$.
Assumes reinvestment of all dividends and/or distributions before taxes. All performance quoted represents past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with market conditions so that when redeemed, shares may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund’s fees and expenses had not been waived. Performance differences between the Institutional class and the Investor class may arise due to differences in fees charged to each class.
Additional performance, attribution, liquidity, value at risk (VaR), security classification and holdings information is available on request for certain time periods.
Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc. All performance is in US$.
The performance data and graph do not reflect the deduction of taxes that a shareholder would pay on dividends, capital gain distributions or redemption of fund shares.
Ratings (as of 12/31/2020)
CATEGORY: Japan Stock
Quartile & Rankings (as of 12/31/2020)
CATEGORY: Japanese Funds
Ratings agency calculation methodology
Past performance is no guarantee of future results. High ratings and rankings does not assure favorable performance.
The Overall Morningstar® Rating for a fund is derived from a weighted-average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five- and (if applicable) ten-year ratings.
Morningstar RatingTM for funds, or "star rating", is calculated for managed products (including mutual funds, variable annuity and variable life subaccounts, exchange-traded funds, closed-end funds, and separate accounts) with at least a three-year history. Exchange-traded funds and open-ended mutual funds are considered a single population for comparative purposes. It is calculated based on a Morningstar Risk-Adjusted Return measure that accounts for variation in a managed product's monthly excess performance, placing more emphasis on downward variations and rewarding consistent performance. The Morningstar Rating does not include any adjustment for sales loads. The top 10% of products in each product category receive 5 stars, the next 22.5% receive 4 stars, the next 35% receive 3 stars, the next 22.5% receive 2 stars, and the bottom 10% receive 1 star. The Overall Morningstar Rating for a managed product is derived from a weighted average of the performance figures associated with its three-, five-, and 10-year (if applicable) Morningstar Rating metrics. The weights are: 100% three-year rating for 36-59 months of total returns, 60% five-year rating/40% three-year rating for 60-119 months of total returns, and 50% 10-year rating/30% five-year rating/20% three-year rating for 120 or more months of total returns. While the 10-year overall star rating formula seems to give the most weight to the 10-year period, the most recent three-year period actually has the greatest impact because it is included in all three rating periods.
Lipper Analytical Services, Inc., rankings are based on total return, including reinvestment of dividends and capital gains for the stated periods. Funds are assigned a rank within a universe of funds similar in investment objective as determined by Lipper. For the absolute rankings shown the lower the number rank, the better the Fund performed compared to other funds in the classification group. Lipper also calculates a quartile ranking which divides the peer group into quartiles to identify funds of similar quality. Funds in the 1st or 2nd quartile had outperformed the average fund in the peer group while funds in the 3rd or 4th quartile had underperformed.
Lead Manager
Portfolio Manager
Taizo Ishida is a Portfolio Manager at Matthews Asia. He manages the firm's Asia Growth, Emerging Asia, and Japan Strategies. Prior to joining Matthews Asia in 2006, Taizo spent six years on the global and international teams at Wellington Management Company as a Vice President and Portfolio Manager. From 1997 to 2000, he was a Senior Securities Analyst and a member of the international investment team at USAA Investment Management Company. From 1990 to 1997, he was a Principal and Senior Research Analyst at Sanford Bernstein & Co. Prior to beginning his investment career at Yamaichi International (America), Inc. as a Research Analyst, he spent two years in Dhaka, Bangladesh as a Program Officer with the United Nations Development Program. Taizo received a B.A. in Social Science from International Christian University in Tokyo and an M.A. in International Relations from The City College of New York. He is fluent in Japanese.
Co-Manager
Portfolio Manager
Shuntaro Takeuchi is a Portfolio Manager at Matthews Asia and co-manages the firm's Japan Strategy. Prior to joining the firm in 2016 as a Senior Research Analyst, he was an Executive Director for Japan Equity Sales at UBS Securities LLC in New York. Beginning in 2003, he worked on both Japanese Equity and International Equity Sales at UBS Japan Securities, based in Tokyo, and held the position of Special Situations Analyst from 2006 to 2008, and Head of International Equity Sales from 2009 to 2013. Before that, he worked at Merrill Lynch Japan from 2001 to 2003 in U.S. Equity Sales. Shuntaro received a B.A. in Commerce and Management from Hitotsubashi University in Tokyo.
Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
Source: FactSet Research Systems
Top 10 holdings may combine more than one security from the same issuer and related depositary receipts.
Source: BNY Mellon Investment Servicing (US) Inc.
Source: FactSet Research Systems.
Percentage values in data are rounded to the nearest tenth of one percent, so the values may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Percentage values may be derived from different data sources and may not be consistent with other Fund literature.
Visit our Glossary of Terms page for definitions and additional information.
The Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index tracks the total return performance of a bond portfolio consisting of local-currency denominated, high quality and liquid bonds in Asia ex-Japan. The Markit iBoxx Asian Local Bond Index includes bonds from the following countries: China (on- and offshore markets), Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The J.P. Morgan Asia Credit Index (JACI) tracks the total return performance of the Asia fixed-rate dollar bond market. JACI is a market cap-weighted index comprising sovereign, quasi-sovereign and corporate bonds and is partitioned by country, sector and credit rating. JACI includes bonds from the following countries: China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Thailand.
The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI All Country Asia Pacific Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of the stock markets of Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, New Zealand, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI China Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of Chinese equities that includes H shares listed on the Hong Kong exchange, B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges, Hong Kong-listed securities known as Red chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China) and P Chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China) and foreign listings (e.g. ADRs).
The MSCI China All Shares Index captures large and mid-cap representation across China A shares, B shares, H shares, Red chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China), P chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China), and foreign listings (e.g. ADRs). The index aims to reflect the opportunity set of China share classes listed in Hong Kong,Shanghai, Shenzhen and outside of China.
The MSCI Emerging Markets (EM) Asia Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization weighted index of the stock markets of China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand. The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the stock markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted index of the stock markets of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, China, Colombia, Czech Republic, Egypt, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Mexico, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey and United Arab Emirates.
The S&P Bombay Stock Exchange 100 (S&P BSE 100) Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of 100 stocks listed on the Bombay Stock Exchange.
The MSCI Japan Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted index of Japanese equities listed in Japan.
The Korea Composite Stock Price Index (KOSPI) is a market capitalization–weighted index of all common stocks listed on the Korea Stock Exchange.
The MSCI All Country Asia ex Japan Small Cap Index is a free float–adjusted market capitalization–weighted small cap index of the stock markets of China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Pakistan, Philippines, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan and Thailand.
The MSCI China Small Cap Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization-weighted small cap index of the Chinese equity securities markets, including H shares listed on the Hong Kong exchange, B shares listed on the Shanghai and Shenzhen exchanges,Hong Kong-listed securities known as Red Chips (issued by entities owned by national or local governments in China) and P Chips (issued by companies controlled by individuals in China and deriving substantial revenues in China), and foreign listings (e.g., ADRs).
The information contained herein has been derived from sources believed to be reliable and accurate at the time of compilation, but no representation or warranty (express or implied) is made as to the accuracy or completeness of any of this information. Neither the funds nor the Investment Advisor accept any liability for losses either direct or consequential caused by the use of this information.
The views and opinions in the commentary were as of the report date, subject to change and may not reflect current views. They are not guarantees of performance or investment results and should not be taken as investment advice. Investment decisions reflect a variety of factors, and the managers reserve the right to change their views about individual stocks, sectors, and the markets at any time. As a result, the views expressed should not be relied upon as a forecast of the Fund's future investment intent. It should not be assumed that any investment will be profitable or will equal the performance of any securities or any sectors mentioned herein. The information does not constitute a recommendation to buy or sell any securities mentioned.
Commentary
Period ended September 30, 2020
MJFOX - Investor Class Commentary MIJFX - Institutional Class CommentaryFor the quarter ending September 30, 2020, the Matthews Japan Fund returned 11.99% (Investor Class) and 12.01% (Institutional Class), while its benchmark, the MSCI Japan Index, returned 7.08%.
Market Environment:
Japanese equity markets slowly climbed a wall of worry in the third quarter amid occasional spikes in COVID-19 cases and weak macro economy numbers. Monetary policies around the world remains extremely accommodative, resulting in risk-taking among investors, especially in growth stocks. Japan is no exception. Japan's central bank announced this year its plans to double exchange-traded funds (ETF) purchases. Japanese government has also passed a stimulus package that is one of the largest in terms of percentage of GDP, both headline numbers and direct spending. On the political front, long-standing Prime Minister Shinzo Abe recently stepped down to undergo treatment for ulcerative colitis. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshigide Suga was named as Abe's successor. We do not expect meaningful changes to economic policy as a result of Abe's resignation.
Performance Contributors and Detractors:
Strong stock selection during the quarter contributed to the Fund's relative performance. From a market cap and sector perspective, stocks across all size categories contributed positively to performance. Turning to individual securities, medical platform provider M3 was a contributor to the overall performance for the quarter. Their Japan platform now covers 90% of all doctors in Japan, and the company is using the platform to expand and disrupt in areas such as CRO (contract research organization) and career development, employee recruiting and networking. Overseas markets are a meaningful part of the company's overall revenue, with China being the largest growth driver. On the other hand, telecom carrier Nippon Telegraph and Telephone was a detractor for the quarter. Its defensive characteristics was a negative factor in an environment where investors favored riskier assets. Additionally, Yoshihide Suga, who has long been an advocate for a lower mobile phone fees, was elected Japan's new prime minister, putting additional pressure on the share price. We exited the position in the quarter.
Notable Portfolio Changes:
We initiated a new position in department store and credit card publisher Marui. While ongoing risks linger for retailers, majority of Mauri's earnings come from credit card operations, where card usage grew amid the COVID-19 pandemic. We think these businesses are likely to regain its momentum as consumer traffic recovers. We have also re-initiated a position in medical equipment manufacturer Sysmex, which we believe has the potential to generate attractive earnings growth and gross margin improvement driven by new product launches. We also initiated a handful of other positions geared to improvements in broader macroeconomic conditions. To fund these positions, we exited several stocks, including Lasertec, Asahi Intecc, Infomart, Kao, and Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp. Among the positions we exited were stocks that we believed were trading at premium valuations, while their growth rates were starting to slow.
Outlook:
On a relative view, we continue to believe Japan equities are well positioned compared to other developed and emerging market peers. Japanese corporates still have record level of cash on balance sheet, which is a needed cushion to weather the current recessionary environment. On the other hand, if COVID-19 case growth subside and we see faster recovery globally, Japanese corporate profits, geared to global manufacturing activity, may benefit as well.
From a structural point of view, we continue to believe the earnings capability of Japanese companies has improved meaningfully over the past economic cycle, driven by better corporate governance and a higher focus on capital efficiency. Multi-year trends such as productivity growth, health care, technology and material science innovation—where Japanese corporations excel versus global peers—remain intact. Moreover, we expect these trends will accelerate amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has provided stress test on Japan's health care system and costs, as well as labor productivity issues among white-collar jobs as more people work remotely.
Additionally, the orderly transition of power after the abrupt resignation of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the election of Yoshihide Suga is a positive for the market in our view, as it reinforced the political stability that Japan has now, which is a stark contrast to a decade ago where the country had a new prime minister almost every year. Against this backdrop, we are optimistic about the long-term growth opportunities within Japanese equities.
As of 9/30/2020, the securities mentioned comprised the Matthews Japan Fund in the following percentages: M3, Inc., 2.9%; Marui Group Co., Ltd., 1.0%; and Sysmex Corp., 1.5%. The Fund held no positions in Nippon Telegraph and Telephone Corp., Lasertec Corp., Asahi Intecc Co., Ltd., Infomart Corp. and Kao Corp. Current and future portfolio holdings are subject to change and risk.
Average Annual Total Returns - MJFOX as of 12/31/2020
All performance quoted is past performance and is no guarantee of future results. Investment return and principal value will fluctuate with changing market conditions so that shares, when redeemed, may be worth more or less than their original cost. Current performance may be lower or higher than the return figures quoted. Returns would have been lower if certain of the Fund's fees and expenses had not been waived. Please see the Fund's most recent month-end performance.
Fees & Expenses