Overview
The Baillie Gifford Japan Trust aims to pursue long-term capital growth principally through investment in medium to smaller sized Japanese companies, which are believed to have above average prospects for growth.
The Trust is the longest established existing Japanese investment trust, having survived the ebb and flow of corporate activity in the Japanese sector over the last 30 years.
Performance & Portfolio
Periodic Performance
All figures to 30/04/2025 1 Year
3 Years
5 Years
10 Years
Share Price 3.4% 0.2% 14.3% 72.1% NAV 5.3% 9.5% 21.0% 104.2% Benchmark* 3.1% 29.2% 45.3% 104.0%
Discrete Performance
Annual Performance to 31 March each year 31/03/2020
31/03/202131/03/2021
31/03/202231/03/2022
31/03/202331/03/2023
31/03/202431/03/2024
31/03/2025Share Price 70.8% -21.4% -9.1% 1.4% -0.1% NAV 56.8% -15.8% -3.7% 6.4% -1.8% Benchmark* 24.8% -2.7% 2.8% 21.7% -2.5% Please bear in mind that past performance is not a guide to future returns. The value of your investment may go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount you invested.
NAV is calculated with borrowings deducted at fair value for 1, 3 and 5 years and par value for 10 years.
*TOPIX.
Performance source: Morningstar and relevant underlying index provider(s), total return in sterling.
Performance 30/04/2025Performance figures appear in GBP. Please bear in mind that past performance is not a guide to future returns. The value of your investment may go down as well as up, and you may not get back the amount you invested.
Comparative Index is limited to a 5 year period from the current date.
The graph is rebased to 100.
Holdings - 30/04/2025
Fund % 1 SoftBank Group 5.6% 2 Rakuten 4.8% 3 Sumitomo Mitsui Trust 4.3% 4 GMO Internet 4.0% 5 SBI Holdings 3.9% 6 Sony 3.8% 7 CyberAgent 3.3% 8 Calbee 2.8% 9 GA Technologies 2.5% 10 FANUC 2.5% Total 37.5% Active Share 30/04/2025Relative to TOPIX. Source: Baillie Gifford & Co, Tokyo Stock Exchange.
Sector analysis of total assets 30/04/2025Fund %
- 1 Info, Comm and Utilities 18.99
- 2 Commerce & Services 16.79
- 3 Manufacturing & Machinery 13.73
- 4 Electricals & Electronics 12.12
- 5 Chemicals & Other Materials 10.16
- 6 Financials 9.12
- 7 Pharmaceuticals & Foods 6.09
- 8 Retail 5.59
- 9 Real Estate & Construction 2.42
- 10 Consumer Staples 0.82
- 11 Net Liquid Assets 4.18
- Total 100.00
As the Fund invests in overseas securities, changes in the rates of exchange may also cause the value of your investment (and any income it may pay) to go down or up.
The information contained on this page is intended as a guide only and should not be relied upon when making investment decisions. All holdings information is unaudited. Source Baillie Gifford & Co.
Please note that totals may not sum due to rounding.
Insights
View all Insights.Meet the Managers
Matthew Brett
Matthew is an investment manager in the Japanese Equities Team. He is co-manager of the Japan All Cap Strategy, the Japanese Income Growth Strategy and manager of the Baillie Gifford Japan Trust. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2003 and became a partner of the firm in 2018. Matthew graduated BA (Hons) in Natural Sciences (Psychology) from the University of Cambridge in 2000 and holds a PhD in Psychology from the University of Bristol.
Praveen Kumar
Praveen is an investment manager in the Japanese Equities Team. He is the manager of the Japanese Smaller Companies Strategy, the Shin Nippon Investment Trust, and deputy manager of the Baillie Gifford Japan Trust. He is also a founding member of the International Smaller Companies Strategy. He joined Baillie Gifford in 2008 and previously worked for FKI Logistex. Praveen graduated B.Eng in Computer Science from Bangalore University in 2001, and completed an MBA from the University of Cambridge in 2008.
Documents
You can access any literature about the Fund here, either by downloading or requesting a copy by post (where available).
To download any document you will need Adobe Reader. Please note that we can now provide you with Braille and audio transcriptions of our literature on request. It may take up to 10 days for the transcription to be completed dependent on the size of the document.
Annual reports
Corporate governance
Factsheets
Fund ratings reports
Interim reports
Investor disclosure document
Portfolio valuation
Portfolio voting disclosure
RNS announcements
Sustainability-related disclosures and climate reports
PRIIPs key information document
Disclaimers
TOPIX Disclaimer
The TOPIX Index Value and the TOPIX Marks are subject to the proprietary rights owned by JPX Market Innovation & Research, Inc. or affiliates of JPX Market Innovation & Research, Inc. (hereinafter collectively referred to as "JPX") and JPX owns all rights and know-how relating to TOPIX such as calculation, publication and use of the TOPIX Index Value and relating to the TOPIX Marks. JPX shall not be liable for the miscalculation, incorrect publication, delayed or interrupted publication of the TOPIX Index Value.
