Japanese media outlet NHK has apologized for issuing a false
report of a North Korean missile launch Tuesday evening local time.
An apology was issued on the Japanese language version of NHK’s website and later shared on its social media platforms.
"Around
6:55pm earlier we reported on the NHK's news site and NHK's news
disaster prevention application ‘Pattern of North Korean missile launch’
but this was incorrectly issued. J alert has not appeared. I must
sincerely apologize,” the news outlet wrote.
The incident comes
just four days after a public warning was issued to residents in Hawaii
to “seek immediate shelter” from an alleged incoming ballistic missile
which had been launched.
That alert was issued in error by the
Hawaii Civil Defense, which apologized profusely and sparked debate
online about US President Donald Trump’s rhetoric regarding his
country’s nuclear capabilities and the threat posed by the North Korean
regime.