The mother of a Japanese woman who was abducted by North Korea at the age of 13 has made a fresh call for the early return of the abduction victims.

Yokota Megumi was kidnapped by North Korean agents when she was on her way home from junior high school in Niigata City, along the Sea of Japan coast. The abduction occurred on November 15 in 1977, and she turned 60 years old last month.

Her mother, Yokota Sakie, attended a supporters' group meeting held in Tokyo on Thursday.

Yokota said that she never expected to be separated from her daughter for 47 years.

Yokota recalled that she would cry in despair after Megumi's sudden disappearance.

She said the abduction issue is very important for Japan as well as for the world, and she now thinks North Korean leader Kim Jong Un is trying to hang tough on his own.

Yokota also said she always hopes for a Japanese prime minister to hold serious talks with the North Korean leader.

She then read a message to her daughter, saying that she will wait until Megumi comes back, holding on to the belief that she is still alive.

Yokota urged her daughter to believe the day will come when she will set foot on Japanese soil with other abduction victims. She asked Megumi to try to be in good shape and not to fall sick.

There are still 12 people identified by the Japanese government as having been abducted by North Korea whose whereabouts remain unknown.

Only two parents of the abductees are still living, namely 88-year-old Yokota and 96-year-old Arimoto Akihiro, whose daughter Keiko was also abducted to North Korea.

Yokota said after the meeting that 47 years is an incredibly long time, and she believes it is important to pray from the heart for their return.