Relatives of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea decades ago have spoken at a mass rally to urge the government to work toward an early rescue of those who have still not been able to return home.

The gathering was held on Saturday in the city of Niigata, along the Sea of Japan. It comes after Friday marked 47 years since Yokota Megumi was abducted on her way home from junior high school in the city. Her 60th birthday came on October 5 this year.

Megumi's mother, Sakie, addressed the rally online. She said no progress has been made over the very crucial issue for more than 40 years. She said she feels empty as she has no idea why the remaining abductees have still not been brought back home.

Sakie said relatives of the abductees have led sad and painful lives, but they are hoping every day that their loved ones will stay healthy and alive until they come home in good shape.

Yokota Takuya, who heads a group of Japanese abductees' families, gave a speech at the event. He is a younger brother of Megumi.

He said the abduction issue will not move toward a resolution unless Japan and North Korea hold summit talks. He said he wants Japanese Prime Minister Ishiba Shigeru to map out a concrete schedule and conduct resolute diplomacy.

Soga Hitomi, one of the five abductees who returned to Japan in 2002, also spoke at the gathering. She was abducted with her mother, Miyoshi, in 1978 when they were in Niigata Prefecture. Hitomi was 19 years old while Miyoshi was 46 at the time.

Hitomi said her mother will turn 93 on December 28 this year. She said she wants her mother to be with her. She said she is hoping from the bottom of her heart that the remaining abductees will be brought back home as soon as possible.

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 88-year-old Sakie. The other is 96-year-old Arimoto Akihiro, whose daughter Keiko was abducted in 1983 when she was in Europe. She was 23 at the time.