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No goodies for Pyongyang leaders

TOKYO, Nov. 15 (UPI) -- The Japanese government has made public the list of luxury goods banned from export to North Korea as a result of economic sanctions against the country.

The ban would affect only the senior leadership of North Korea and their families since the majority of the population lives in dire poverty.

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Among the items banned: beef, tuna, caviar and its substitutes, liquor, cars, motorcycles, yachts, watches, cameras, audio and video equipment, movie and music software, jewelry, carpets and tobacco.

"We have (chosen) goods that are likely to be used by (government and party) executives, and those they are likely to give to their subordinates," The Japan Times quoted Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki.

"North Korea's leaders need to be sent a strong message from the international community" and follow the U.N. Security Council demand it abandon its nuclear arms program.

According to Shiozaki, the 24 luxury items banned accounted in 2005 for 16 percent of goods exported to North Korea.

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