Japan and the Philippines have agreed to resume a project to collect the remains of Japanese war dead in the Southeast Asian country, the Japanese welfare ministry said Tuesday.

The project has been suspended since 2010 due to the possibility that bones other than those of Japanese nationals were mistakenly collected. It could be resumed by the end of the year under the supervision of the two governments, which have signed a memorandum of understanding, the Health, Labor and Welfare Ministry said.

While more than 500,000 Japanese troops died in the Philippines during World War II, about 370,000 sets of remains have not been retrieved, according to the ministry. The aging family members of the war dead are hoping for an early resumption of the project.

The memorandum states that Philippine and Japanese officials will conduct tests at collection sites to confirm whether any bones found are those of Japanese troops. If they are not able to confirm on site, DNA tests will be conducted in Japan.

The ministry said in a report in October 2011 that the remains that were to be transported to Japan included bones from Filipino men as well as women and children.

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