Trump meets families of Japanese abducted by N Korea

Tokyo [Japan], November 7 (ANI): United States President Donald Trump has met with the families of the Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea.

Trump, along with the Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, met with 14 family members of those kidnapped by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s, at the State Guest House in Tokyo's Akasaka district, reported The Japan Times.

Later in the day, Trump told reporters that he had heard "very, very sad" stories about the victims and assured, "We will work with Prime Minister Abe on trying to get them back to their loved ones."

The Japanese Prime Minister expressed his heartfelt appreciation to Trump for his September speech at the United Nations, wherein he mentioned the story of Megumi Yokota who was abducted by North Korean agents in 1977.

According to the reports, Yokota was forced to work as a Japanese-language tutor in Pyongyang.

Abe has labeled the abduction issue as one of his administration's top priority issues.

Tokyo has claimed at least 17 Japanese were abducted by North Korean agents, five of which returned home in 2002, the report said.

Trump also underscored America's "solidarity" with Japan against "the North Korean menace," at a joint news conference with PM Abe.

"The United States of America stands in solidarity with the people of Japan against the North Korean menace. History has proven over and over that strong and free nations always prevail over tyrants," Trump said.

Japan is Trump's first stop of his five-nation tour of Asia. (ANI)