The US government confirmed on Tuesday that it has doubled the number of suspected Japanese war criminals banned from entering the nation, Yonhap News Agency reported.

The Department of Justice in 1996 set a so-called "watchlist" of Japanese who have committed crimes during World War II.

"The total number placed on the watchlist is 35," quoted Yonhap from an e-mail sent by Department of Justice spokesman Peter Carr.

The department did not reveal the names on the list, according to Yonhap.

Most of the criminals were with the Japanese military unit conducting biological experiments on prisoners.

Global Times