The alert, which NHK says was a mistaken issuance of a practice text, warned that a North Korean missile had fallen 2,000km east of Hokkaido – a course which, had it been real, would have taken it over Japanese territory similar to North Korea’s greatest provocations in the summer of 2017.

The mistaken alert used language similar to the September 2017 launch of an intermediate-range missile, which flew over Japan in a test demonstrating North Korea’s ability to hit US forces in Guam.

The incident is at least the second time in as many years that NHK has issued a false alert on North Korea, following a similar incident in January 2018.

Today’s alert comes as geopolitical watchers are on edge for a possible intercontinental ballistic missile launch, with North Korea suggesting it would use the end-of-year holiday season to deliver a “Christmas gift” to the US after demanding Washington make additional concessions as part of long-stalled nuclear talks.