Japanese government has frozen $4.4 billion on financial accounts of Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi and his supporters, Japan Today said on Saturday.

The measure followed the UN's sanctions against Libyan authorities. In March, Japan included 18 officials and organizations of the Gaddafi regime and the Central Bank of Libya into the sanctions list.

The United States has frozen about $30 billion of Libyan assets along with the EU and Switzerland.

In May, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Washington would use part of the frozen funds in the interests of Libyan people.

Protests against the Gaddafi government began in mid-February and have spiraled into violent confrontation, leading to thousands of casualties, according to international organizations. Libyan authorities have denied the death toll.

In March, the UN Security Council introduced a no-fly zone over Libya and started delivering pinpoint air strikes on Gaddafi's bases. Now NATO controls the operation, which it has extended until September.

MOSCOW, June 4 (RIA Novosti)