What is the Japanese Stock Market YTD return in 2026?
The Japanese Stock Market is up +22.39% year to date with dividends reinvested (total return through Sep 4, 2026), or +21.72% on price alone — dividends have added 0.66 points so far. EWJ started the year at $80.74 and closed at $98.28. That makes 2026 the 3rd best start in 30 years of data through this date.
Price return vs total return#
Total return assumes distributions are reinvested; price return measures only the change in the ETF's share price. The 0.66 percentage-point gap is the contribution from dividends so far this year.
2026 YTD daily chart#
Daily EWJ price since the final market close of 2025. Hover for the close, price YTD, total return YTD with dividends reinvested, and that day's price move.
- Total-return high
- +22.6% · Aug 13, 2026
- Total-return low
- +0.6% · Mar 20, 2026
- Max drawdown YTD
- -13.6%
- All-time-high closes
- 21 days
How 2026 compares with previous years#
Every year is measured through Sep 4 — the same calendar date as the current result — so the comparison is not skewed by full-year outcomes.
Years that looked like this one
The five closest starts to 2026's +22.4%, each traced through its full year — labels show how each finished. 2026's path so far is the bold line.
2003 (+23.7% then → finished +38.7%) · 2025 (+18.3% then → finished +25.8%) · 2013 (+16.5% then → finished +26.0%) · 2023 (+14.7% then → finished +20.3%) · 2017 (+12.2% then → finished +24.3%).
Every year's YTD return through the same date#
Ranked by total return through Sep 4, with each completed calendar year's final return alongside it.
Best starts
| Year | YTD then | Finished |
|---|---|---|
| 1999 | +35.2% | +60.9% |
| 2003 | +23.7% | +38.7% |
| 2026 (now) | +22.4% | — |
| 2025 | +18.3% | +25.8% |
| 2013 | +16.5% | +26.0% |
Worst starts
| Year | YTD then | Finished |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | -21.0% | -17.7% |
| 2001 | -19.0% | -30.3% |
| 2008 | -17.2% | -27.0% |
| 1998 | -12.5% | +3.9% |
| 2011 | -11.2% | -14.8% |
| Rank | Year | YTD through this date | Full-year return |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1999 | +35.2% | +60.9% |
| 2 | 2003 | +23.7% | +38.7% |
| 3 | 2026 (now) | +22.4% | — |
| 4 | 2025 | +18.3% | +25.8% |
| 5 | 2013 | +16.5% | +26.0% |
| 6 | 2023 | +14.7% | +20.3% |
| 7 | 2017 | +12.2% | +24.3% |
| 8 | 2024 | +10.2% | +7.0% |
| 9 | 2019 | +8.0% | +19.3% |
| 10 | 2021 | +7.1% | +1.2% |
| 11 | 2009 | +5.5% | +3.1% |
| 12 | 2016 | +3.6% | +2.8% |
| 13 | 2005 | +3.6% | +24.3% |
| 14 | 2015 | +2.7% | +9.2% |
| 15 | 2006 | +2.3% | +5.9% |
| 16 | 2004 | +1.2% | +13.7% |
| 17 | 2010 | +0.1% | +13.6% |
| 18 | 2012 | -0.9% | +9.2% |
| 19 | 2020 | -1.2% | +15.4% |
| 20 | 2014 | -1.4% | -6.2% |
| 21 | 2007 | -1.5% | -5.5% |
| 22 | 2002 | -3.2% | -9.9% |
| 23 | 2018 | -3.3% | -14.1% |
| 24 | 1997 | -3.3% | -24.4% |
| 25 | 2000 | -10.9% | -29.9% |
| 26 | 2011 | -11.2% | -14.8% |
| 27 | 1998 | -12.5% | +3.9% |
| 28 | 2008 | -17.2% | -27.0% |
| 29 | 2001 | -19.0% | -30.3% |
| 30 | 2022 | -21.0% | -17.7% |
2026 monthly YTD chart#
Each bar is one calendar month's total return; the current month runs through Sep 4, 2026.
2026 YTD return by month#
Monthly total return and the compounded year-to-date result after each month.
| Month | Monthly return | Cumulative YTD |
|---|---|---|
| Jan | +6.2% | +6.2% |
| Feb | +7.8% | +14.4% |
| Mar | -8.6% | +4.6% |
| Apr | +5.5% | +10.4% |
| May | +4.3% | +15.1% |
| Jun | +1.0% | +16.3% |
| Jul | -1.0% | +15.1% |
| Aug | +3.8% | +19.4% |
| Sep | +2.5% | +22.4% |
Notes & related#
Returns are computed from EWJ (the Japanese Stock Market ETF): total return uses dividend-adjusted closes, price return uses split-adjusted closes only. “YTD through the same date” compares each year at the identical month-day, so early-year rankings aren't skewed by full-year outcomes. Data updates after each market close.
Keep going: Japanese Stock Market returns by year, monthly returns, or the drawdown record.
More on Japanese Stock Market
- Returns by year+22.4%
- Monthly returns+2.5%
- Weekly returns+2.5%
- Trailing returns+29.5%
- Drawdown from high−0.2%