Data as of Oct 28, 2026.
EWJ vs VUG: Differences, Returns & Fees
Over the year to Oct 28, 2026, EWJ returned +18.1% to VUG's +6.6%; 0% of their weight is in the same names.
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Net assets: $23.9bn on Oct 28, 2026 for iShares MSCI Japan ETF, and $232.9bn on Sep 30, 2026 for Vanguard Morningstar Growth ETF.
Pair scorecard
VUG costs 0.46 points a year less; their one-year returns differ by 11.5 points; VUG is 9.9 times larger.
| Measure | EWJ | VUG |
|---|---|---|
| Return | ||
| Total return, 1 year | +18.1% | +6.6% |
| Drawdown | ||
| Below its high | 4.4%, high on Oct 6, 2026 | 4.1%, high on Oct 6, 2026 |
| Benchmark | ||
| What it tracks | MSCI Japan Index | Morningstar US Large Cap Growth Index |
| Cost and size | ||
| Expense ratio | 0.49% | 0.03% |
| Net assets, as of Sep 30, 2026 | $23.5bn | $232.9bn |
| Holdings | ||
| Holdings in common | 0% | |
| Top ten holdings, share of the fund | 29.5% | 63.1% |
Holdings in common uses holdings dated Sep 30, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026. Method
What they share
By the books each fund has filed, EWJ and VUG hold 0% of their money in the same securities at the same weight. Holdings dated Sep 30, 2026 and Oct 27, 2026.
half
0% in common
Only in one fund ↓
Side by side
EWJ and VUG on the fields both publish, as of Oct 28, 2026. Source: ETFIQ.
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.
VUG
VUG tracks an index of US growth. Over the year to Oct 28, 2026 it returned +6.6% with distributions reinvested. The prospectus expense ratio is 0.03% a year. By its holdings published by its issuer as of Sep 30, 2026, 97% of the fund by weight is stocks the S&P 500 also holds, across 137 positions, with the top ten at 63.1%. It sat 4.1% below its high of Oct 6, 2026 on Oct 28, 2026.
Questions people ask
- Which returned more over the last year, EWJ or VUG?
- In the year to Oct 28, 2026, with distributions reinvested, EWJ returned +18.1% and VUG +6.6%.
- Which is cheaper, EWJ or VUG?
- VUG is cheaper, by 0.46 percentage points a year. That is about $46 on $10,000 held for a year. Fees come from each fund's prospectus.
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.
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ETFIQ, EWJ against VUG, data as of Oct 28, 2026. https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ewj-vs-vug
ETFIQ. (Oct 28, 2026). EWJ against VUG. Retrieved from https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ewj-vs-vug
[EWJ against VUG (ETFIQ, Oct 28, 2026)](https://etfiq.com/compare/any/ewj-vs-vug)
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