<ARTICLE> 6
<CIK> 0000930667
<NAME> ISHARES, INC.

   <NUMBER> 09
   <NAME> JAPAN INDEX FUND

                             
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   YEAR
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>                          AUG-31-2000
<PERIOD-END>                               AUG-31-2000
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST>                        681851112
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE>                       786870296
<RECEIVABLES>                                   151162
<ASSETS-OTHER>                                86281271
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS>                                 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                               873302729
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES>                             0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT>                              0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES>                     85512521
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES>                           85512521
<SENIOR-EQUITY>                                  57001
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON>                     688035589
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK>                         57001000
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR>                         54001000
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT>                    (3501630)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII>                               0
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS>                      (1820452)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS>                             0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC>                     105019700
<NET-ASSETS>                                 787790208
<DIVIDEND-INCOME>                              4596673
<INTEREST-INCOME>                               263680
<OTHER-INCOME>                                       0
<EXPENSES-NET>                               (7613517)
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME>                      (2753164)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT>                      51817611
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT>                      9615813
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS>                         58680260
<EQUALIZATION>                                       0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME>                      (87603)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS>                    (30206630)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER>                        (1946368)
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD>                       10200000
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED>                  (7200000)
<SHARES-REINVESTED>                                  0
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS>                        74137138
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR>                      (3466264)
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR>                    (2800315)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR>                              0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR>                           0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES>                          2363952
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>                                1674
<GROSS-EXPENSE>                                7613517
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS>                         864672914
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN>                            13.22
<PER-SHARE-NII>                                  (.05)
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC>                           1.21
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND>                                 0
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS>                        (.53)
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL>                             (.03)
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END>                              13.82
<EXPENSE-RATIO>                                    .88