Friday's inter-Korean summit drew a mixed reaction from relatives of Japanese nationals kidnapped by North Korea decades ago, with some hopeful for the return of their loved ones and others anxious about the outlook, including the lack of a reference to the abduction issue in the leaders' joint declaration.

"The scene where both leaders shook hands at the border was conducted in an atmosphere that has never occurred before. I strongly feel that the opportunity (to move forward on the abduction issue) is there," Fumiyo Saito told a press conference in Kumamoto Prefecture in southwestern Japan.

(Fumiyo Saito)

Saito was referring to the historic summit between South Korean President Moon Jae In and North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in the border village of Panmunjeom.

The 72-year-old, whose younger sister Kaoru Matsuki was abducted at the age of 26, also expressed anxiety, citing the advanced age of the abductees' relatives. "I want to bring back Kaoru as soon as possible while my health is still good," she said.

Shigeo Iizuka, the 79-year-old head of a group representing abductees' families, said, "The summit was conducted in a peaceful atmosphere. I hope there will be a mood to (realize) the return of the victims of abduction."

But he expressed disappointment as Kim and Moon did not mention the abduction issue in their joint statement. "North Korea won't raise the abductions as it doesn't want to appear as a villain before the international community," said Iizuka, whose younger sister Yaeko Taguchi was kidnapped when she was 22.

"I hope things will take a turn for the better," said Sakie Yokota, the 82-year-old mother of Megumi, who was abducted in 1977 at age 13.

While expressing hope for an early resolution of the issue out of concern for the health of her 85-year-old husband Shigeru, Sakie Yokota said she is remaining level-headed in "seeing how things will unfold" given that North Korea has previously backtracked every time there were apparent signs of progress on the issue.

(Sakie Yokota, right, and Shigeo Iizuka at a meeting in Tokyo on April 22, 2018)

Kayoko Arimoto, the mother of Keiko who was abducted at age 23, said the most important meeting will be that between Kim and U.S. President Donald Trump, set to be held by early June. "There is little time remaining. I think the U.S.-N. Korea summit is the last chance," the 92-year-old said.

Kayoko's husband Akihiro, 89, said, "For South and North Korea, (Friday's) summit may be a success but I cannot trust in it unless there are results."

"If the United States and South Korea, along with Japan, confront North Korea with the abduction issue, I believe the issue can be resolved this time around," he added.

Hajime Matsumoto, the 71-year-old older brother of Kyoko who was abducted at age 29, praised the inter-Korean summit but remained cautious as to whether the abduction issue will be resolved. He said he will have to wait and see the results of the U.S.-North Korea summit.

In the joint declaration signed following the first inter-Korean summit in over a decade, Kim and Moon agreed to pursue "complete" denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and strive to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean War.

Both the declaration and joint press announcement did not mention the abduction issue.

At a Japan-U.S. summit in Florida last week, Trump pledged to raise the issue of Japanese nationals abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and the 1980s at the envisioned meeting with Kim.

(Japan PM Shinzo Abe, right, and families of Japanese abductees)

Tokyo officially lists 17 of its citizens as having been abducted by North Korea and suspects Pyongyang's involvement in other disappearances.

Five of the 17 were repatriated to Japan in 2002 but no major progress has been made since then. Pyongyang maintains eight have died and the other four were never in the country.

Ahead of the inter-Korean summit, Iizuka met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe on Sunday, calling on him to "respond effectively" to the rapidly changing situation to resolve the abduction issue.

At a rally held after the meeting with Abe, Nobuhiro Matsuki, 45, said he wants Pyongyang to retract its statement that some of the abductees are already dead. "My brother is now 64. I just wonder how he is feeling now," he said, referring to his older brother Kaoru.

"We will not be able to reunite and hug each other or talk about the old days if they return after our health deteriorates. I cannot wait anymore," said Shoichi Osawa, 82, whose brother Takashi may have been abducted by North Korea when he was 27.