PARIS- The UNESCO Executive Board on Thursday approved a reform plan for the Memory of the World program that calls for prior talks on applications related to controversial issues, Jiji Press learned Thursday.

The 58-country board, including Japan, made the unanimous decision to adopt a resolution that welcomes an interim report on the draft reform plan by the International Advisory Committee, whose members include experts on history, informed sources said.

Japan has called for reform measures for the program, including improved transparency, as documents on the 1937 Nanjing massacre were listed on the Memory of the World Register in October 2015 as sought by China.

The two Asian countries have different views on details of the incident, such as the number of Chinese killed by soldiers of the now-defunct Imperial Japanese Army.

The committee, which advises UNESCO on the program, will work out a final report and submit it to the next board meeting expected for around October this year, the sources said.

In South Korea, efforts are going on to win a Memory of the World Register listing of documents on comfort women who were forced to work as prostitutes for IJA soldiers before and during World War II. (Jiji Press)