Which returned more over the last year, EWJ or IUSB?

In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EWJ returned +18.1% and IUSB −1.2%.

Which is cheaper, EWJ or IUSB?

IUSB is cheaper, by 0.43 percentage points a year. That is about $43 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Data as of Oct 28, 2026.

Across categories

EWJ vs IUSB: Differences, Returns & Fees

Share on X Download as PDF

Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, EWJ returned +18.1% to IUSB's −1.2%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.

askIQ about this page

askIQ about EWJ and IUSB

Net assets: $23.9bn on Oct 28, 2026 for iShares MSCI Japan ETF, and $49.8bn on Oct 27, 2026 for iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF.

EWJ on its own →IUSB on its own →

At a glance

+18.1%

EWJ total return, 1 year

−1.2%

IUSB total return, 1 year

0.49%

EWJ expense ratio

0.06%

IUSB expense ratio

Pair scorecard

IUSB costs 0.43 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 19.3 points; IUSB is 2.1 times larger.

EWJ vs IUSB: Differences, Returns & Fees
Measure	EWJ	IUSB
Return
Measure	EWJ	IUSB
Total return, 1 year	+18.1%	−1.2%
Drawdown
Measure	EWJ	IUSB
Below its high	4.4%, high on Oct 6, 2026
Benchmark
Measure	EWJ	IUSB
What it tracks	MSCI Japan Index	Bloomberg U.S. Universal Index
Cost and size
Measure	EWJ	IUSB
Expense ratio	0.49%	0.06%
Net assets, as of Oct 27, 2026	$23.8bn	$49.8bn
Holdings
Measure	EWJ	IUSB
Holdings in common	0%
In the S&P 500, by weight	0%
Top ten holdings, share of the fund	29.5%

Holdings in common uses holdings dated Oct 27, 2026. Method

What they share

By the books each fund has filed, EWJ and IUSB hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Oct 27, 2026.

50%

0 half 100%

half

0% in common

Positions both hold · largest shared weight first EWJ IUSB

Only in one fund ↓

Only in EWJ

MITSUBISHI UFJ FINANCIAL GROUP 4.40%

TOYOTA MOTOR 3.59%

ADVANTEST 3.03%

HITACHI 3.03%

RECRUIT HOLDINGS LTD 3.03%

SONY GROUP 2.89%

SUMITOMO MITSUI FINANCIAL GROUP 2.83%

TOKYO ELECTRON 2.55%

Only in IUSB

BLK Liquidity Temp Cash Inst #21 4.75%

TREASURY NOTE 0.49%

TREASURY NOTE 0.42%

TREASURY NOTE 0.41%

TREASURY NOTE 0.38%

TREASURY NOTE 0.37%

TREASURY NOTE (2OLD) 0.36%

UMBS 15YR TBA(REG B) 0.35%

Check overlap with more funds →

Side by side

EWJ iShares MSCI Japan ETF IUSB iShares Core Universal USD Bond ETF

Where it sits Stock ETF Bond ETF

Issuer iShares iShares

What it is Tracks the MSCI Japan Tracks an index of Universal USD Bond

Total return, 1 year +18.1% −1.2%

Its benchmark over the same days +14.3% (ACWX) not measured

Gap to its benchmark +3.8 pts vs ACWX not measured

Expense ratio 0.49% 0.06%

Holdings 169 18338

Net assets, EWJ as of Oct 28, 2026 and IUSB as of Oct 27, 2026 $23.9bn $49.8bn

EWJ and IUSB on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.

Alert

About each fund

EWJ

EWJ tracks the MSCI Japan. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +18.1% with distributions reinvested, against +14.3% for its benchmark, the MSCI ACWI ex USA Index. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.49% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer for Oct 27, 2026, 0% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 169 positions, with the top ten at 29.5%. It sat 4.4% below its high of Oct 6, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.

IUSB

IUSB tracks an index of Universal USD Bond. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned −1.2% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.06% a year.

Questions people ask

Which returned more over the last year, EWJ or IUSB?: In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EWJ returned +18.1% and IUSB −1.2%.
Which is cheaper, EWJ or IUSB?: IUSB is cheaper, by 0.43 percentage points a year. That is about $43 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.

Other comparisons

BOND vs EWJ EWJ vs JAAA EWJ vs IGSB EWJ vs SGOV EWT vs IUSB EWZ vs IUSB EZU vs IUSB IUSB vs VPL

Where to next

EWJ on its own →IUSB on its own →Hold both: look the portfolio through →Rankings →EWJ dividend history →EWJ holdings →IUSB dividend history →IUSB holdings →Standards and sources →

Sources and dates

EWJ filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

EWJ prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for EWJ ↗

IUSB filings on SEC EDGAR ↗

IUSB prospectus with the expense ratio (SEC) ↗

iShares page for IUSB ↗

Links are sources, not endorsements. A comparison is not a recommendation.

How this is computed

Overlap adds up the smaller of the two weights for each security both funds hold.

Cite this pageCitation, APA and Markdown

ETFIQ, EWJ against IUSB, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ewj-vs-iusb

Open data →

Free to use with attribution for data ETFIQ computes; issuer data stays under its owner's terms.