The father of a Japanese woman abducted by North Korean agents decades ago has died. Arimoto Akihiro was 96 years old. Only one of the parents of a dozen Japanese abductees who remain unaccounted for is now alive.

Akihiro's daughter, Keiko, was abducted in 1983 while traveling in Europe after completing a study program in Britain. She was found to be in North Korea in 1988. She has not been repatriated.

Akihiro, along with his wife Kayoko, took part in campaigns to bring their daughter and other abductees back home. Kayoko died in 2020 at age 94.

Akihiro attended rallies and other meetings held by abductees' relatives. He also appealed to the Japanese government to redouble its efforts to secure their return as soon as possible.

Akihiro celebrated Keiko's 65th birthday at his home in the western city of Kobe last month. He issued a written comment at the time, saying he could not directly wish his daughter a happy birthday as she was not with him.

He also said he could only tell her to wait a little longer. He added that he would continue to think about what could be done toward a resolution for as long as he lived.

Japan's government says at least 17 of its citizens were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s. Five returned home after a bilateral summit in 2002. The other 12 remain unaccounted for.

Among the parents of the 12, Yokota Sakie, the 89-year-old mother of abductee Megumi, is now the only one alive.

The news of Akihiro's death comes after a group of Japanese abductees' relatives adopted a new policy during their meeting with supporters in Tokyo on Sunday.

The policy, at the time of its adoption, called for all remaining abductees to be repatriated at once while the two parents are alive.

The policy also demanded Japan impose much stricter sanctions on North Korea if the return fails to materialize within the timeframe.