Families of missing people with dementia in Japan have launched a new body to shed light on the issue.
Eto Aiko, who represents the group Ishidatami, held a news conference in Tokyo on Friday.
She said the families of missing dementia patients and those with suspected dementia need to unite to have a say as an organization.
Police say that last year more than 19,000 people with dementia or suspected dementia were reported missing, at least temporarily. The figure was the largest since data began to be compiled in 2012, when about 9,600 such people were reported missing.
The police say 502 of the missing people were confirmed dead last year, and 250 others were still unaccounted for at the end of the year. The accumulated number of those who remain missing is unknown.
Eto said the group conducted a survey, asking the families of missing people about issues they have faced.
Some replied that they did not know how to request municipal offices and police to conduct a search beyond prefectural boundaries. Others said that payment of pension money for their missing family members was suspended, but they still have to pay nursing insurance premiums.
The group plans to request the government and municipalities to provide consultation services for the families, as well as set up places where they can meet and support each other.
It also plans to ask the authorities to provide information about launching a search for the missing and advice for those whose family members remain missing for a long period.
Suzuki Takao, an expert on the subject at the National Center for Geriatrics and Gerontology, says that most people do not know the hardships and emotional strain that families go through if their loved ones go missing.
Suzuki also notes there are no systems in place to provide care and support for those whose family members remain unaccounted for.
He says he expects the new group to advocate for more efforts to address the issue.