Families of Japanese who were abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s thanked President Donald Trump on Monday for his sympathy and for meeting with them while visiting Japan.

Trump, who is making a four-day state visit, appeared to listen intently to the relatives’ accounts of their ordeals, the families said after the meeting.

North Korea has acknowledged abducting 13 Japanese. Japan maintains that the North abducted at least 17 people to train agents in Japanese language and culture to spy on South Korea.

Five of the abductees were allowed to return home for a visit in 2002 and have since stayed. North Korea says eight others died and denies that the other four entered its territory.

Many elderly relatives say they’re running out of time to see their loved ones.

Source: v.duta.us