A former classmate of Japanese national Yokota Megumi, who was abducted to North Korea, spoke to students about her on Monday at their alma mater.

North Korean agents kidnapped her on November 15, 1977, while she was on her way home from her junior high school.

Tokyo's local governments near the US Yokota Air Base are requesting that the US military's Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft be grounded until safety measures are taken.

Japan's Defense Ministry officials on Wednesday informed the Tokyo Metropolitan Government and local municipalities near the US base that part of an Osprey went missing after a flight on Tuesday.

The family of Yokota Shigeru, who died last week without seeing his daughter after her abduction by North Korea, has vowed to carry on efforts to bring her home.

Yokota's daughter Megumi was abducted in 1977 on her way home from junior high school.