Japan public TV sends mistaken North Korean missile alert

TOKYO (KABC) -- Japan's national public broadcasting organization mistakenly sent an alert warning citizens of a North Korean missile launch and urging them to seek immediate shelter, then retracted it minutes later, days after a similar error in Hawaii.

NHK television issued the message Tuesday on its internet and mobile news sites as well as on Twitter, saying North Korea appeared to have fired a missile at Japan. It said the government was telling people to take shelter.

That mistake was corrected five minutes later.

NHK deleted its tweet, issued a correction and apologized several times on air. It said a mistake in using the alert system caused the error.

The false alarm came two days after Hawaii's emergency management department sent a mistaken warning of a North Korean missile attack to mobile phones across the state, triggering panic.

RELATED: Children rushed into manhole for safety during Hawaii missile threat

Desperate to get their children to safety, some Hawaiian parents told their children to hide in manholes during Saturday's missile threat.

The Hawaii Emergency Management agency said an employee accidentally pushed the wrong button.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.