3 plaques of AKB48 group missing at Iwate Pref. station

3 plaques of AKB48 group missing at Iwate Pref. station

MORIOKA, Japan - Plaques made of scallop shells hanging in a waiting room of Koishihama Station on the Sanriku Railway Co.'s Minami Rias Line in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture, are seen in this photo taken on May 29, 2014. Three plaques on which members of popular Japanese all-girl pop group AKB48, including Mayu Watanabe, wrote some messages went missing recently.

Hopes for reconstruction written on '1,000 scallop shells'

Hopes for reconstruction written on '1,000 scallop shells'

OFUNATO, Japan - Photo taken on Aug. 31, 2011 shows 1,000 origami paper ornaments folded in the shape of scallop shells decorating Koishihama station in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture. Local people used to use real shells from farmed scallops, on which they wrote their wishes, but the scallop farming industry, along with the rail track, was devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Visitors to the station, which has been out of operation since March 11, now write their wishes for the reconstruction of the area on the paper shells.

Hopes for reconstruction written on '1,000 scallop shells'

Hopes for reconstruction written on '1,000 scallop shells'

OFUNATO, Japan - Photo taken on Aug. 31, 2011 shows 1,000 origami paper ornaments folded in the shape of scallop shells decorating Koishihama station in Ofunato, Iwate Prefecture. Local people used to use real shells from farmed scallops, on which they wrote their wishes, but the scallop farming industry, along with the rail track, was devastated by the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. Visitors to the station, which has been out of operation since March 11, now write their wishes for the reconstruction of the area on the paper shells. (Kyodo)