KAGOSHIMA (Kyodo) Two Japanese abducted by North Korea were reported alive there as of 2006, despite Pyongyang's claim they died decades earlier, a relative of one of them claimed Thursday.

Kenichi Ichikawa, 65, elder brother of Shuichi Ichikawa, who was abducted in August 1978 at age 23, did not reveal where he got the information.

The other abductee is Rumiko Masumoto, who was snatched together with Shuichi. She was 24 at the time.