Japanese Stock Market total returns by year (including dividends)
As of market close, Oct 16, 2026
Japanese Stock Market total returns by year (1997–2026)#
Calendar-year returns with each year's path and its dividend contribution (dividend return = total minus price return). Every year has a direct link you can bookmark or share.
See every year as a chart, with the events that moved it → Or click a year below for its own chart.
| Year | Start price | End price | Path | Dividend | Total return |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026YTD | $80.74 | $94.88 | chart → | 0.6% | +18.2% |
| 2025 | $67.10 | $80.74 | chart → | 5.5% | +25.8% |
| 2024 | $64.14 | $67.10 | chart → | 2.4% | +7.0% |
| 2023 | $54.44 | $64.14 | chart → | 2.5% | +20.3% |
| 2022 | $66.96 | $54.44 | chart → | 1.0% | -17.7% |
| 2021 | $67.56 | $66.96 | chart → | 2.0% | +1.2% |
| 2020 | $59.24 | $67.56 | chart → | 1.4% | +15.4% |
| 2019 | $50.69 | $59.24 | chart → | 2.5% | +19.3% |
| 2018 | $59.93 | $50.69 | chart → | 1.3% | -14.1% |
| 2017 | $48.86 | $59.93 | chart → | 1.6% | +24.3% |
| 2016 | $48.48 | $48.86 | chart → | 2.0% | +2.8% |
| 2015 | $44.96 | $48.48 | chart → | 1.3% | +9.2% |
| 2014 | $48.56 | $44.96 | chart → | 1.2% | -6.2% |
| 2013 | $39.00 | $48.56 | chart → | 1.5% | +26.0% |
| 2012 | $36.44 | $39.00 | chart → | 2.2% | +9.2% |
| 2011 | $43.64 | $36.44 | chart → | 1.7% | -14.8% |
| 2010 | $38.96 | $43.64 | chart → | 1.6% | +13.6% |
| 2009 | $38.32 | $38.96 | chart → | 1.5% | +3.1% |
| 2008 | $53.16 | $38.32 | chart → | 0.9% | -27.0% |
| 2007 | $56.84 | $53.16 | chart → | 1.0% | -5.5% |
| 2006 | $54.08 | $56.84 | chart → | 0.8% | +5.9% |
| 2005 | $43.68 | $54.08 | chart → | 0.5% | +24.3% |
| 2004 | $38.56 | $43.68 | chart → | 0.5% | +13.7% |
| 2003 | $27.80 | $38.56 | chart → | 0.0% | +38.7% |
| 2002 | $30.84 | $27.80 | chart → | 0.0% | -9.9% |
| 2001 | $44.25 | $30.84 | chart → | 0.0% | -30.3% |
| 2000 | $65.25 | $44.25 | chart → | 2.2% | -29.9% |
| 1999 | $41.00 | $65.25 | chart → | 1.7% | +60.9% |
| 1998 | $39.50 | $41.00 | chart → | 0.1% | +3.9% |
| 1997 | $52.25 | $39.50 | chart → | 0.0% | -24.4% |
- Annualized
- +2.7%
- 1997–2026
- Positive years
- 19/29
- 66% up
Annualized (CAGR)
+2.7%
1997–2026
Average year
+5.0%
29 full years
Japanese Stock Market average annual return →
Best year
+60.9%
1999
1999 chart & events →
Worst year
-30.3%
2001
2001 chart & events →
Positive years
19/29
66% up
Total return by period#
Annual
-60%-40%-20%0%20%40%60%
1997-24%'97
1998+3.9%
1999+61%
2000-30%'00
2001-30%
2002-9.9%
2003+39%'03
2004+14%
2005+24%
2006+5.9%'06
2007-5.5%
2008-27%
2009+3.1%'09
2010+14%
2011-15%
2012+9.2%'12
2013+26%
2014-6.2%
2015+9.2%'15
2016+2.8%
2017+24%
2018-14%'18
2019+19%
2020+15%
2021+1.2%'21
2022-18%
2023+20%
2024+7.0%'24
2025+26%
2026+18%
Methodology#
Total returns, dividends reinvested, measured on EWJ. Annualized return is the compound annual growth rate; the current year is year-to-date. Past performance does not predict future returns.
FAQ#
- What is Japanese Stock Market's average annual return?
- Since 1997, the Japanese Stock Market (proxied by EWJ, dividends reinvested) has returned about 2.7% a year (the compound annual growth rate) and an average calendar-year return of 5.0%.
- What were Japanese Stock Market's best and worst years?
- Over 1997–2026, the best year was 1999 (+60.9%) and the worst was 2001 (-30.3%).
- How often is Japanese Stock Market up in a year?
- 19 of the 29 full years since 1997 were positive — about 66% of the time.
More on Japanese Stock Market
- Monthly returns-2.6%
- Weekly returns-3.0%
- Trailing returns+21.4%
- YTD return+18.2%
- Drawdown from high−4.5%
All 10 Japanese Stock Market pages →Annual returns for: S&P 500 · S&P 500 Equal Weight · US Stock Market · Nasdaq-100Tracked by EWJ