<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 06/30/97
000 C000000 053192
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001 A000000 THE JAPAN FUND, INC.
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002 A000000 345 PARK AVENUE
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012 B000001 84-1489
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012 C020001 MA
<PAGE> PAGE 2
012 C030001 02107
012 C040001 2291
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013 B010001 BOSTON
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014 A000001 SCUDDER INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
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015 A000001 SUMITOMO TRUST & BANKING CO.
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020 A000004 DAIWA SECURITIES CO., LTD.
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020 A000007 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
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020 A000008 YAMAICI SECURITIES CO., LTD.
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020 A000010 UBS SECURITIES, INC.
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<PAGE> PAGE 3
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022 A000007 LEHMAN BROTHERS, INC.
022 C000007 15153
022 D000007 5721
022 A000008 YAMAICI SECURITIES CO., LTD.
022 C000008 16678
022 D000008 2903
022 A000009 SALOMON BROTHERS, INC.
022 C000009 8371
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022 A000010 UBS SECURITIES
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<PAGE> PAGE 4
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<PAGE> PAGE 5
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<PAGE> PAGE 6
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<PAGE> PAGE 7
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<PAGE> PAGE 8
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<PAGE> PAGE 9
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SIGNATURE THOMAS F. MCDONOUGH
TITLE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE>6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the
Scudder Japan Fund Semiannual Report for the fiscal year ended June 30, 1997 and
is qualified in its entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER>1
<NAME>Scudder Japan fund
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1997
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1997
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1997
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 443,732,347
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 482,967,961
<RECEIVABLES> 3,197,565
<ASSETS-OTHER> 37,009,845
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 104,261
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 523,279,632
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 3,255,267
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 3,332,076
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 6,587,343
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 527,493,352
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 53,726,564
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 46,358,011
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (15,275,093)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> (34,593,930)
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> 39,067,960
<NET-ASSETS> 516,692,289
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1,342,117
<INTEREST-INCOME> 788,188
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 2,274,189
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> (143,884)
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> 2,609,798
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 69,276,921
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 71,742,835
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (5,188,304)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 26,209,610
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (19,391,805)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 550,748
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 130,728,327
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 0
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> (9,942,905)
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> (37,203,728)
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,507,916
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 0
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 395,735,794
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 8.33
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 1.41
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> (0.12)
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<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 9.62
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.16
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
