North Korea’s leader Kim Jong-un should pay damages for a 1959-84 scheme that saw more than 90,000 people move there from Japan, a Tokyo court is hearing.
The repatriation campaign was later condemned by some as “state kidnapping”.
Five people who took part and later escaped the North have demanded 100m yen ($880,000; £640,000) each.
They do not expect Mr Kim either to appear or to pay up, but hope a ruling may help in future negotiations.
