Tokyo: The families of Japanese nationals abducted to North Korea decades ago met with U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk in Tokyo on Friday, seeking further cooperation to bring back all abductees.

According to Philippines News Agency, Takuya Yokota, 57, head of a group of abductees' families, emphasized the need for ongoing support and understanding from the United Nations to secure the return of all abductees simultaneously. Yokota, whose sister Megumi was kidnapped at the age of 13, highlighted the importance of framing abductions as a human rights issue to exert pressure on North Korea.

During the closed-door meeting, Turk expressed solidarity with the families and committed to raising international awareness of the abduction issue. This meeting marked the first interaction between the families of Japanese abductees and the U.N. High Commissioner for Human Rights since 2010. The latest meeting was initiated at the request of the high commissioner's team.