Relatives of Japanese nationals who were abducted by North Korea decades ago have again asked the government to take action and that North Korea let the abductees' aging parents see them again.

The relatives and their supporters held a rally in central Tokyo on Sunday. About 800 people took part, including Prime Minister Kishida Fumio.

Japan says at least 17 of its citizens were abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and '80s. Five were repatriated after a bilateral summit in 2002. The other 12 remain unaccounted for.

Yokota Takuya, who heads a group of abductees' families, spoke at the event. He is the brother of Yokota Megumi, who was 13 years old when she was abducted in 1977.

Yokota asked whether the government has been working seriously to resolve what he called a humanitarian issue. He said he wonders how it is able to deal with the reality that the abductees' parents are dying off.

Yokota urged the government to make an all-out effort and hold diplomatic talks with North Korea so a similar tragedy will not happen again and that all the abductees can return home. He said it is a matter of life and death.

Megumi's mother, Yokota Sakie, also spoke at the rally. She said she feels like her daughter is asking, "Why don't you help me?" The 87-year-old said the abduction issue involves human life and that she wants the government to bring those lives back to Japan.

Another speaker was Soga Hitomi, who was one of the five abductees repatriated 21 years ago. She spoke about her mother, Miyoshi, who was abducted with her and remains unable to return home.

Soga said her mother will turn 92 next month. She says she is always worried about her, wondering if she can eat and walk well in North Korea.

Kishida said in May that he wanted to start high-level talks under his direct supervision with a view to holding a summit with North Korea as soon as possible.

But there has been no visible progress since then. The relatives are becoming increasing desperate as they feel that there is little time left.

The rally adopted a resolution calling on the government to achieve the immediate return of all abductees and urge the North to do what is needed to make that happen.