A repatriated Japanese woman who was abducted by North Korea has collected signatures calling for the early return of other abductees.



Soga Hitomi was kidnapped in 1978 along with her mother Miyoshi. They were taken from the island of Sado, Niigata Prefecture, in the Sea of Japan.



She was repatriated with four other victims in October, 2002, but her mother remains unaccounted for.



On Saturday, Soga began her petition campaign at an event in her home city of Sado. She asked people for their signatures.



Speaking to reporters, Soga recalled Arimoto Akihiro, who died in February at the age of 96 without reuniting with his daughter Keiko, who was also abducted.



Soga said she was very saddened by his death. She said she remembers well Arimoto working hard to see his daughter again. She has held hopes that her mother is also hanging tough like Arimoto.



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



Yokota Sakie, whose daughter was abducted at the age of 13, is now the only surviving parent of the 12 victims.



Soga said that as there is not much time left, the government should do all it can to realize summit talks with North Korea as early as possible so that all the remaining victims can return home.