Matthews Japan Fund
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SUMMARY PROSPECTUS—INVESTOR CLASS
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April 29, 2011
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TICKER: MJFOX
Before you invest, you may want to review the Fund’s Prospectus, which contains more information about the Fund and its risks. You can find the Fund’s Prospectus and other information about the Fund online at www.matthewsasia.com/prospectus. You may also obtain this information at no additional cost by calling 800.789.ASIA (2742) or by sending an e-mail request to prospectus@matthewsasia.com. The Fund’s Prospectus and Statement of Additional Information, both dated April 29, 2011, are incorporated by reference into this Summary Prospectus.
Investment Objective
Long-term capital appreciation
Fees and Expenses of the Fund
This table describes the fees and expenses that you may pay if you buy and hold shares of this Fund.
SHAREHOLDER FEES
(fees paid directly from your investment)
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Redemption Fee
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(as a percentage of amount redeemed on shares held fewer than 90 days)
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2.00 | % | ||
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES
(expenses that you pay each year as a percentage of the value of your investment)
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Management Fees
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0.67 | % | ||||||
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Distribution (12b-1) Fees
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None
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Other Expenses
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0.63 | % | ||||||
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Administration and Shareholder Servicing Fees
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0.16 | % | ||||||
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Total Annual Operating Expenses
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1.30 | % | ||||||
This example is intended to help you compare the cost of investing in the Fund with the cost of investing in other mutual funds. The example assumes that you invest $10,000 in the Fund for the time periods indicated and then redeem all of your shares at the end of those periods. The example also assumes that your investment has a 5% return each year and that the Fund’s operating expenses remain the same. Although your actual costs may be higher or lower, based on these assumptions your costs would be:
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One year: $132
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Three years: $412
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Five years: $713
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Ten years: $1,568
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PORTFOLIO TURNOVER
The Fund pays transaction costs, such as commissions, when it buys and sells securities (or “turns over” its portfolio). A higher portfolio turnover may indicate higher transaction costs and may result in higher taxes when Fund shares are held in a taxable account. These costs, which are not reflected in annual fund operating expenses or in the example of fund expenses, affect the Fund’s performance. During the most recent fiscal year, the Fund’s portfolio turnover rate was 46% of the average value of its portfolio.
PS-MJFOX-0411
Principal Investment Strategy
Under normal market conditions, the Matthews Japan Fund seeks to achieve its investment objective by investing at least 80% of its total net assets, which include borrowings for investment purposes, in the common and preferred stocks of companies located in Japan. A company is considered to be “located” in a country if it (i) is organized under the laws of that country; (ii) derives at least 50% of its revenues or profits from goods produced or sold, investments made, services performed, or has at least 50% of its assets located within that country; (iii) has the primary trading markets for its securities in that country; or (iv) is a governmental entity or an agency, instrumentality or a political subdivision of that country.
Principal Risks of Investment
Political, Social and Economic Risks: The value of the Fund’s assets may be adversely affected by political, economic, social and religious instability; inadequate investor protection; changes in laws or regulations of countries within the Asian region (including countries in which the Fund invests, as well as the broader region); international relations with other nations; natural disasters; corruption and military activity. The Asian region, and particularly China, Japan and South Korea, may be adversely affected by political, military, economic and other factors related to North Korea. In addition, China’s long-running conflict over Taiwan, border disputes with many of its neighbors and historically strained relations with Japan could adversely impact economies in the region. The economies of many Asian countries differ from the economies of more developed countries in many respects, such as rate of growth, inflation, capital reinvestment, resource self-sufficiency, financial system stability, the national balance of payments position and sensitivity to changes in global trade. Certain Asian countries are highly dependent upon and may be affected by developments in the United States, Europe and other Asian economies.
Currency Risks: When the Fund conducts securities transactions in a foreign currency, there is the risk of the value of the foreign currency increasing or decreasing against the value of the U.S. dollar. The value of an investment denominated in a foreign currency will decline in dollar terms if that currency weakens against the dollar. While the Fund is permitted to hedge currency risks, Matthews does not anticipate doing so at this time.
Trading Markets and Depositary Receipts: Asian securities may trade in the form of depositary receipts, including American, European and Global Depositary Receipts. Although depositary receipts have risks similar to the securities that they represent, they may also involve higher expenses and may trade at a discount (or premium) to the underlying security. In addition, depositary receipts may not pass through voting and other shareholder rights, and may be less liquid than the underlying securities listed on an exchange.
Volatility: The smaller size and lower levels of liquidity in emerging markets, as well as other factors, may result in changes in the prices of Asian securities that are more volatile than those of companies in more developed regions. This volatility can cause the price of the Fund’s shares (NAV) to go up or down dramatically. Because of this volatility, it is recommended that you invest in the Fund only for the long term (at least five years).
Risks associated with Japan: Poor performance of the global economy has negatively affected equity returns in Japan, and may continue to do so. Japan’s economy and stock market have in the recent past had a strong correlation with the U.S. economic cycle and U.S. stock markets, and thus Japan’s economy may continue to be affected by current economic problems in the U.S. Japan also has a growing economic relationship with China and other Southeast Asian countries, and thus Japan’s economy may also be affected by economic, political or social instability in those countries (whether resulting from local or global events).
In the longer term, Japan will have to address the effects of an aging population, such as a shrinking workforce and higher welfare costs. To date, Japan has had restrictive immigration policies that, combined with other demographic concerns, appear to be having a negative impact on the economy. Japan’s growth prospects appear to be dependent on its export capabilities. Japan’s neighbors, in particular China, have become increasingly important export markets. Despite a deepening in the economic relationship between Japan and China, the countries’ political relationship has at times been strained in recent years. Should political tension increase, it could adversely affect the economy, especially the export sector, and destabilize the region as a whole. Japan also remains heavily dependent on oil imports, and higher commodity prices could therefore have a negative impact on the economy.
2 MATTHEWS JAPAN FUND
The bar chart below shows the Fund’s performance for the past 10 years and how it has varied from year to year, reflective of the Fund’s volatility. Also shown are the best and worst quarters for this time period. The table below shows the Fund’s perfor-mance over certain periods of time, along with performance of its benchmark index. The index performance does not take into consideration fees, expenses or taxes. The information presented below is past performance, before and after taxes, and is not a prediction of future results. Both the bar chart and performance table assume reinvestment of all dividends and distributions. For the Fund’s most recent month-end performance, please visit matthewsasia.com or call 800.789.2742.
ANNUAL RETURNS FOR YEARS ENDED 12/31
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AVERAGE ANNUAL TOTAL RETURNS FOR PERIODS ENDED DECEMBER 31, 2010
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Since Inception
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1 year
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5 years
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10 years
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(12/31/98)
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Matthews Japan Fund
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Return before taxes
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19.58 | % | -4.72 | % | 0.75 | % | 4.39 | % | ||||||||
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Return after taxes on distributions1
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18.42 | % | -5.19 | % | 0.25 | % | 3.69 | % | ||||||||
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Return after taxes on distributions and sale of Fund shares1
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13.16 | % | -4.02 | % | 0.44 | % | 3.50 | % | ||||||||
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MSCI Japan Index
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15.59 | % | -2.33 | % | 1.14 | % | 2.23 | % | ||||||||
| Tokyo Stock Price Index | 13.86 | % | -3.26 | % | 1.04 | % | 2.42 | % | ||||||||
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1
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After-tax returns are calculated using the highest historical individual federal marginal income tax rates and do not reflect the impact of state and local taxes. Actual after-tax returns depend on an investor’s tax situation and may differ from those shown. After-tax returns shown are not relevant to investors who hold their Fund shares through tax-deferred arrangements, such as 401(k) plans or individual retirement accounts.
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Investment Advisor
Matthews International Capital Management, LLC (“Matthews”)
Portfolio Managers
Lead Manager: Taizo Ishida has been a Portfolio Manager of the Japan Fund since 2006.
Co-Manager: Kenichi Amaki has been a Portfolio Manager of the Japan Fund since 2010.
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You may purchase and sell shares directly through the Fund’s transfer agent by calling 800.789.ASIA (2742) or online at matthewsasia.com. Shares of the Fund may also be purchased and sold through various securities brokers and benefit plan administrators or their sub-agents (“Third-Party Intermediaries”). You may purchase and redeem shares by electronic bank transfer, check, or wire. You buy and redeem shares at the Fund’s next-determined net asset value (NAV) after the Fund receives your request in good order. NAVs are determined only on days when the NYSE is open for regular trading. A 2.00% redemption fee will be assessed on the sale or exchange of Fund shares within 90 days of purchase. Please see page 66 in the statutory prospectus for more details. The minimum initial and subsequent investment amounts for various types of accounts offered by the Fund are shown below.
| Type of Account |
Minimum Initial Investment
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Subsequent Investments
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| Non-retirement | $ | 2,500 | $ | 100 | ||||
| Retirement and Coverdell | $ | 500 | $ | 50 | ||||
Tax Information
The Fund’s distributions are taxable, and will be taxed as ordinary income or capital gains, unless you are investing through a tax-deferred arrangement, such as a 401(k) plan or an individual retirement account. Ordinary income and capital gains for such accounts are taxed on a deferred basis.
Payments to Broker-Dealers and Other Financial Intermediaries
If you purchase shares of the Fund through a broker-dealer or other financial intermediary (such as a bank), Matthews may pay the intermediary for the sale of Fund shares and related services. Shareholders who purchase or hold shares through an intermediary may inquire about such payments from that intermediary. These payments may create a conflict of interest by influencing the broker-dealer or other intermediary and your salesperson to recommend the Fund over another investment. Ask your salesperson or visit your financial intermediary’s website for more information.
800.789.ASIA | matthewsasia.com
4 MATTHEWS JAPAN FUND