An illustration by popular Japanese cartoonist Leiji Matsumoto known for his anime series "Galaxy Express 999" was stolen from a planetarium in central Japan where it had been displayed since last year, the planetarium said Friday.

According to Discovery Park Yaizu in Shizuoka Prefecture, an alarm went off early Friday and security guards found one of the doors on the first floor broken. Matsumoto's work displayed on that floor showing two main characters of Galaxy Express 999 was gone, it said.

(Photo courtesy of Discovery Park Yaizu)

Discovery Park Yaizu reported the incident to police.

Matsumoto, 80, is the honorary director of the planetarium. A local department store, which owned the work measuring 57 centimeters by 47 cm, donated it to the planetarium in September 2017 for the facility's 20th anniversary.