TOKYO (AP) — The mother of a Japanese girl abducted by North Korea is thankful President Donald Trump mentioned her in his U.N. speech and hopes it could be a chance for a breakthrough.

Megumi Yokota was abducted on her way home from school after badminton practice in 1977. She was 13 and has become a symbol of Japan's movement to resolve the abduction issue.

Her mother, Sakie Yokota, told reporters Wednesday, "I was really surprised, but it was great, and I'm thankful to (Trump) for bringing up the issue and putting it into words in front of those representatives from around the world."

North Korea acknowledged in 2002 that its agents abducted Japanese citizens to train spies in the 1970s and 1980s. It says Megumi died, but Tokyo disputes that.