Japan seizes $4.4 billion in Gaddafi assets

Tokyo, June 04: Japan has frozen $4.4 billion in assets belonging to Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his entourage under the terms of a UN Security Council resolution, a report said on Saturday.

The assets included bank savings, the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper reported citing data of the finance ministry, without giving fuller details. A spokesperson was not immediately available to comment on the report.

The UN Security Council, with strong support from Arab and African nations, on February 26 unanimously passed sanctions against the Kadhafi regime with the aim of stopping a crackdown on anti-government forces.

In March, Prime Minister Naoto Kan’s cabinet approved the sanctions, which included an assets freeze and travel ban against several regime leaders.