After the devastating earthquake, Japanese phone carriers have set up special bulletin boards.

NTT East says messages of up to 100 letters can be posted at https://www.web171.jp/top.php

Mobile phone carriers -- NTT Docomo, KDDI and Softbank -- and personal handy-phone system operator Wilcom also have bulletin boards.

NTT East and Docomo users can only post messages from six prefectures in Tohoku, but they can be read anywhere.

Phone users can post messages of up to 100 letters on the boards. The messages can be read by anyone who enters the writer's phone number.