Japan Lifts Asset Freeze on 16 Syrian Entities
The Japanese government announced on Tuesday a decision to lift asset freezes and restrictions imposed on 16 Syrian entities. This move follows ongoing reviews of restrictive measures that have been in place since 2011.
In a statement released via the platform X, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that the decision was taken in light of developments concerning Syria and the status of bilateral relations. The ministry noted that the measures have officially entered into effect following a formal notification.
Despite this development, the Japanese Foreign Ministry clarified that sanctions remain in place for 59 individuals, most notably Bashar al-Assad, the leader of the former regime, as well as 15 other entities associated with him.
The list of entities now cleared of these restrictions includes several key state institutions, such as the ministries of Defense and Interior, the Political Security Directorate, the Military Housing Establishment, and the General Organization for Radio and Television.
The decision also encompasses major economic and service-oriented entities, including the telecommunications firm Syriatel, the Commercial Bank of Syria, the Syrian Lebanese Commercial Bank, the Real Estate Bank, and the Syria International Islamic Bank. Furthermore, the lifting of restrictions extends to the oil sector, affecting the Sytrol company, the General Petroleum Corporation, the Syrian Petroleum Company, the Syrian Company for Oil Transport, Mahruqat, and the Cotton Marketing Organization.
Under Japanese regulations, specifically the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade Act, any payments or financial transfers involving entities on the sanctions list previously required prior approval from Japan’s Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry.
Tokyo began implementing restrictive measures against Syrian entities in 2011 in response to the country’s internal events. This current action follows a similar measure taken by Japanese authorities on May 30, 2025, when they lifted the freeze on four Syrian banks: the Industrial Bank, the Popular Credit Bank, the Savings Bank, and the Agricultural Cooperative Bank. These actions are part of a comprehensive review of restrictive measures following the fall of the former regime.
Source: Syria Focus Arabic
