MFA removes 16 entities from Syrian asset freeze list

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notice No. 297 on September 29, 2026, removing 16 entities subject to asset freezing and other measures implemented under the Assad regime in Syria from the attached table. It was published in Official Gazette Extraordinary Special Issue No. 53 (Other Notices) on the same date and signed by Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi. The title of the notice is “Matter concerning the partial amendment of the ‘Matter concerning the designation of President Al-Assad of Syria and his associates, etc., who are subject to asset freezing and other measures taken by Japan to contribute to international efforts for international peace aiming for the resolution of issues surrounding Syria,’ in view of the current international situation surrounding the Syrian Arab Republic and bilateral relations with Japan.”

The framework subject to amendment is Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notice No. 315 of September 2011, “Matter concerning the designation of President Al-Assad of Syria and his associates, etc., who are subject to asset freezing and other measures taken by Japan to contribute to international efforts for international peace.” This notice was an original designation measure issued in September 2011 based on the situation in Syria, and the current notice amends a part of its attached table. As the reason for the amendment, the notice explicitly states, “in view of the current international situation surrounding the Syrian Arab Republic and bilateral relations with Japan.”

Breakdown of the 16 Items Removed from the Attached Table

A total of 16 items: 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 21, 28, 29, 34, and 35 of the attached table.
Each item is marked as “Deleted,” removing them from the list of entities subject to the designation.
The body of the notice does not relist the names of the entities to be deleted, amending them solely by number.
Items other than those listed above (such as 20, 22 through 27, 30 through 33, etc.) in the attached table are maintained.

Format of Promulgation and Position in the Official Gazette

Document Name: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notice No. 297
Date of Notice: September 29, 2026 (Tuesday)
Publication: Official Gazette Extraordinary Special Issue No. 53, classified under “Other Notices” in the table of contents.
Issuing Agency: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Signatory: Minister for Foreign Affairs Toshimitsu Motegi
The abbreviation “MOFA 297” is used.

A Series of Notifications Indicating the Normalization of Relations with Syria

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notification No. 271 (Official Gazette, September 1, 2026): An exchange of notes took place in Damascus on July 30, 2026, between Japan and the United Nations regarding a grant for the Integrated Urban Recovery and Sustainable Solid Waste Management Plan in the Syrian Arab Republic, with a grant amount of 1,521,000,000 yen.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notification No. 272 (Official Gazette, same date): An exchange of notes took place in Damascus on August 5, 2026, between Japan and the World Food Programme regarding food assistance for vulnerable populations within the Syrian Arab Republic, with a grant amount of 300,000,000 yen.
In both cases, the signatory for the Japanese side was Akihiro Tsuji, Chargé d’Affaires ad interim to Syria, and Minister of State Minoru Kihara signed as the Acting Minister for Foreign Affairs.

Impact on Financial and Trade Practices

The 16 deleted organizations are no longer subject to the obligation to suspend transactions based on asset freezes or remittance suspensions.
Measures for items remaining in the Appended Table remain in effect; this is not a blanket lifting of sanctions for all targets.
Financial institutions and trading companies must update their sanction screening lists on a per-item basis.
Regarding reconstruction and humanitarian aid projects for Syria, this directly affects fund settlements and the eligibility assessment of contracting parties.

These notifications are positioned as part of a movement to gradually reduce designated measures under the Assad regime while proceeding with the reconstruction of bilateral relations with Syria. Personnel in charge of operations are required to accurately distinguish between the 16 deleted items and the maintained items, and subsequently update internal sanction compliance procedures.

Official Sources

Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notification No. 297 (September 29, 2026, Official Gazette Extraordinary No. 53)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notification No. 315 of September 2011 (Subject of amendment)
Ministry of Foreign Affairs Notifications No. 271 and No. 272 (Official Gazette, September 1, 2026)