The message received by mobile phone users at 6.55pm local time said: "NHK news alert. North Korea appears to have launched a missile. The government urges people to take shelter inside buildings or underground."
The error was corrected within minutes and the NHK spokesman said they're investigating what caused the mistake.
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Tensions remain high on the Korean peninsula after North staged a serious of nuclear and missile tests in violation of UN Security Council resolutions.
This comes just days after a similar incident in Hawaii when an employee mistakenly sent a ballistic missile alert that caused panic across the US state.
Residents received a warning to seek immediate shelter sending panic across Hawaii.
To make matters worse officials took 38 minutes to correct the false alarm.