The 89-year-old mother of a Japanese abducted by North Korea says that the reality of becoming the last surviving parent of an abductee fills her with emptiness.

The comment by Yokota Sakie follows the death on Saturday of Arimoto Akihiro at age 96. Arimoto died without ever being reunited with his daughter, Keiko, who was abducted by North Korea in 1983.

Yokota's daughter, Megumi, was a first-year junior high school student when she was abducted in 1977.

Both Yokota and Arimoto had long campaigned for the return of their daughters. Yokota told reporters on Monday that Arimoto was always a caring father who was desperate to see the abduction issue resolved.

She said Arimoto traveled far to take part in talks at meetings of abductees' families even after he had to start using a wheelchair to get around.

She believes Arimoto was determined to draw attention to the issue.

She said it distresses her that Arimoto must have died wondering why no progress had been made on the abduction issue.

The Japanese government has so far recognized 17 citizens as having been abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and '80s. Five returned home following a bilateral summit in 2002, but the other 12 remain unaccounted for.

Yokota told reporters on Monday she and Arimoto were referred to as the last remaining parents of Japanese abductees, and she feels bereft now that she is the last one.

She added she has no way of knowing what will happen to her next.

She urged the Japanese government to take steps to resolve the issue. She said the families of abductees can't understand why such a key issue remains unresolved or why the government is taking so long to do anything.

Yokota said she wants the abductees to all return in good health and to be congratulated by the people of Japan.