Japan will deport several foreign residents with suspected links to al-Qaeda or other terrorist networks if it feels the nation is in danger of becoming a target of terrorist attacks, according to government officials.

The government has a suspect list of several men from Africa and other parts of Asia who mainly live in the Tokyo area.

The deportation move is aimed at minimizing the risk of an attack given al-Qaeda's recent warnings that Tokyo would be targeted if Japan sends troops to Iraq, according to the government officials.