The stories are coming to light after a sociology student Yuka Kudo at Tohoku Gakuin University polled nearly 100 drivers about the phenomenon, The Asahi Shimbun newspaper reported.

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Most said nothing strange or paranormal happened to them, but seven had similar stories.

One driver said he picked up a woman who asked to go to the Minamihama district. He told her that the area was "almost empty," double-checking if she truly wanted to go there.

She asked "Have I died?" the driver claimed.

When he turned around, no one was in the car.

Another driver said a young man asked to go to "Hiyoiyama" and pointed in the direction.

At one point, he pulled over and his passenger was gone.

Kudo found that the ghosts were all young and she surmised "Young people feel strong chagrin when they cannot meet the people they love. As they want to convey their bitterness, they may have chosen taxis ... as a medium to do so, "The Mirror reported.

The drivers said they were not afraid of the ghost fares and one said he would take a ghost customer again. Some said the experience should be cherished, The Asahi Shimbun reported.

The tsunami killed nearly 16,000 people, More than 2,500 are still missing.

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