The mother of Yokota Megumi, who was abducted by North Korea, has strongly urged the government to recover her daughter quickly on the 47th anniversary of the abduction.

Yokota Sakie, who is now 88 years old, said in an interview with NHK on Friday that her anger is growing, wondering why her daughter cannot be helped, even though the day of the abduction has been remembered time and again over decades.

Megumi was abducted on her way home from junior high school in Niigata City, along the Sea of Japan coast, on November 15, 1977. She was 13 years old at the time. October 5 this year marked her 60th birthday.

The mother said she wants first and foremost to help Megumi as soon as possible.

Sakie called on the Japanese government to hold a summit with North Korea whatever it takes, because nothing will start unless talks are held.

The Japanese government says at least 17 of its citizens were abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s. Five returned in 2002, but the other 12 remain unaccounted for.

Only two of the remaining abductees' parents are alive, including Sakie. The other is 96-year-old Arimoto Akihiro, whose daughter Keiko was abducted in 1983 when she was in Europe. She was 23 old at the time.