<PAGE> PAGE 1
000 A000000 06/30/98
000 C000000 053192
000 D000000 N
000 E000000 NF
000 F000000 Y
000 G000000 N
000 H000000 N
000 I000000 3.0.a
000 J000000 U
001 A000000 THE JAPAN FUND, INC.
001 B000000 811-1090
001 C000000 2123266200
002 A000000 345 PARK AVENUE
002 B000000 NEW YORK
002 C000000 NY
002 D010000 10154
003 000000 N
004 000000 N
005 000000 N
006 000000 N
007 A000000 N
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008 A000001 SCUDDER KEMPER INVESTMENTS
008 B000001 A
008 C000001 801-252
008 D010001 BOSTON
008 D020001 MA
008 D030001 02110
010 A000001 SCUDDER FUND ACCOUNTING CORP.
010 C010001 BOSTON
010 C020001 MA
010 C030001 02110
010 C040001 4103
011 A000001 SCUDDER INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
011 B000001 8-298
011 C010001 BOSTON
011 C020001 MA
011 C030001 02110
011 C040001 4103
013 A000001 PRICEWATERHOUSECOOPERS LLP
013 B010001 BOSTON
013 B020001 MA
013 B030001 02110
014 A000001 SCUDDER INVESTOR SERVICES, INC.
014 B000001 8-298
014 A000002 GRUNTAL & CO., INC.
014 B000002 8-31022
014 A000003 GMS GROUP LLC (A GRUNTAL AFFILIATE)
014 B000003 8-23936
014 A000004 ZURICH CAPITAL MARKETS
014 B000004 8-49827
<PAGE> PAGE 2
014 A000005 BANK HANDLOWY
014 B000005 8-24613
014 A000006 KEMPER DISTRIBUTORS, INC.
014 B000006 8-47765
015 A000001 SUMITOMO TRUST & BANKING CO.
015 B000001 S
015 C010001 TOKYO
015 D010001 JAPAN
015 E040001 X
015 A000002 LLOYDS BANK PLC
015 B000002 S
015 C010002 LONDON
015 D010002 UNITED KINGDOM
015 E040002 X
015 A000003 BROWN BROTHERS HARRIMAN & CO.
015 B000003 C
015 C010003 BOSTON
015 C020003 MA
015 C030003 02109
015 E020003 X
015 A000004 THE BANK OF TOKYO - MITSUBISHI, LTD.
015 B000004 S
015 C010004 TOKYO
015 D010004 JAPAN
015 E040004 X
018 000000 Y
019 A000000 Y
019 B000000 65
019 C000000 SCUDDERKEM
020 A000001 DAIWA SECS
020 C000001 47
020 A000002 MORGAN STANLEY & CO INC
020 C000002 23
020 A000003 SALOMON BROTHERS INC
020 C000003 20
020 A000004 SALOMON BROTHERS
020 C000004 19
020 A000005 NIKKO SECS CO INTL INC
020 C000005 18
020 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH PRCE FENNR SMITH
020 C000006 15
020 A000007 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO
020 C000007 15
020 A000008 DRESDNER KLEINWORT BENSON SECS
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020 A000009 NOMURA SEC
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<PAGE> PAGE 3
022 C000001 15377
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022 D000003 6984
022 A000004 SALOMON BROTHERS
022 C000004 3925
022 D000004 9287
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022 C000005 6188
022 D000005 5643
022 A000006 MERRILL LYNCH PRCE FENNR SMITH
022 C000006 2937
022 D000006 7492
022 A000007 GOLDMAN SACHS & CO
022 C000007 7042
022 D000007 3156
022 A000008 DRESDNER KLEINWORT BENSON SECS
022 C000008 2009
022 D000008 3967
022 A000009 NOMURA SEC
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022 D000009 0
022 A000010 SG WARBURG CO.
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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
SIGNATURE THOMAS F. MCDONOUGH
TITLE ASSISTANT SECRETARY
<TABLE> <S> <C>
<ARTICLE> 6
<LEGEND>
This schedule contains summary financial information extracted from the Japan
Fund Semiannual Report for the six months ended 6/30/98 and is qualified in its
entirety by reference to such financial statements.
</LEGEND>
<SERIES>
<NUMBER> 1
<NAME> JAPAN FUND
<S> <C>
<PERIOD-TYPE> 6-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END> DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START> JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END> JUN-30-1998
<INVESTMENTS-AT-COST> 349,845,061
<INVESTMENTS-AT-VALUE> 293,366,888
<RECEIVABLES> 11,718,425
<ASSETS-OTHER> 499,395
<OTHER-ITEMS-ASSETS> 0
<TOTAL-ASSETS> 305,584,708
<PAYABLE-FOR-SECURITIES> 0
<SENIOR-LONG-TERM-DEBT> 0
<OTHER-ITEMS-LIABILITIES> 5,062,811
<TOTAL-LIABILITIES> 5,062,811
<SENIOR-EQUITY> 0
<PAID-IN-CAPITAL-COMMON> 414,400,937
<SHARES-COMMON-STOCK> 42,045,284
<SHARES-COMMON-PRIOR> 39,174,523
<ACCUMULATED-NII-CURRENT> 0
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-NII> (468,637)
<ACCUMULATED-NET-GAINS> (57,067,075)
<OVERDISTRIBUTION-GAINS> 0
<ACCUM-APPREC-OR-DEPREC> (56,343,328)
<NET-ASSETS> 300,521,897
<DIVIDEND-INCOME> 1,449,163
<INTEREST-INCOME> 596,314
<OTHER-INCOME> 0
<EXPENSES-NET> 1,934,647
<NET-INVESTMENT-INCOME> 110,830
<REALIZED-GAINS-CURRENT> (12,116,318)
<APPREC-INCREASE-CURRENT> 30,753,727
<NET-CHANGE-FROM-OPS> 18,748,239
<EQUALIZATION> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-INCOME> (3,176,155)
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OF-GAINS> 0
<DISTRIBUTIONS-OTHER> 0
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-SOLD> 37,501,008
<NUMBER-OF-SHARES-REDEEMED> (34,997,324)
<SHARES-REINVESTED> 367,077
<NET-CHANGE-IN-ASSETS> 35,339,966
<ACCUMULATED-NII-PRIOR> 2,596,688
<ACCUMULATED-GAINS-PRIOR> (44,950,757)
<OVERDISTRIB-NII-PRIOR> 0
<OVERDIST-NET-GAINS-PRIOR> 0
<GROSS-ADVISORY-FEES> 1,158,631
<INTEREST-EXPENSE> 0
<GROSS-EXPENSE> 1,934,647
<AVERAGE-NET-ASSETS> 298,140,422
<PER-SHARE-NAV-BEGIN> 6.77
<PER-SHARE-NII> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-GAIN-APPREC> 0.46
<PER-SHARE-DIVIDEND> (0.08)
<PER-SHARE-DISTRIBUTIONS> 0.00
<RETURNS-OF-CAPITAL> 0.00
<PER-SHARE-NAV-END> 7.15
<EXPENSE-RATIO> 1.31
<AVG-DEBT-OUTSTANDING> 0
<AVG-DEBT-PER-SHARE> 0
</TABLE>
