Japanese broadcaster NHK has had to issue an embarrassing apology after issuing a false alert saying that North Korea had launched a missile and warning people to “take shelter”.

The false message was sent on Tuesday via NHK’s Japanese apps and website, before the public broadcaster corrected the error five minutes later, with blaming it a “switching error”.

NHK apologizes for false missile alert #nhk_world_news https://t.co/QtUb49syom

— NHK WORLD News (@NHKWORLD_News) January 16, 2018

“There are no reports of problems caused by the mistake,” NHK said in a statement. “NHK says a switching error is to blame.”

The reporting blunder comes only three days Hawaiian authorities issued a false missile alarm of their own which caused widespread panic.