Japan lifts sanctions on Syrian ministries, institutions, companies

The Japanese government has decided to lift sanctions imposed on a number of Syrian companies and ministries, including entities operating in the oil, banking and telecommunications sectors, according to an announcement by the Japanese Foreign Ministry.

The ministry said in a statement that the decision specifically includes lifting sanctions on Syria’s Ministries of Defense and Interior.

The asset freezes imposed on several prominent companies and institutions will also be lifted, including the Syrian Petroleum Company, the General Foreign Trade Organization for Oil and Petroleum Products, the Commercial Bank of Syria, and a telecommunications company.

The Japanese Foreign Ministry also said the decision was made “in light of developments surrounding Syria and in consideration of bilateral relations between the two countries.”

Tokyo partially lifted sanctions on Syria in 2025, when several Syrian banks were removed from its sanctions lists, including the Industrial Bank, the Popular Credit Bank, the Savings Bank, and the Cooperative Agricultural Bank.

At the same time, Japan maintained sanctions against 59 individuals and 18 Syrian entities and institutions.

A-H 

ANHA