[David]

TOKYO (Reuters) - A missile attack warning went off in local government offices in central Japan Wednesday, but officials realized it was a false alarm before disaster teams were mobilized.

"This is information about a ballistic missile attack," a broadcast from the central government's Fire and Disaster Management Agency had said, with a red light blinking.

The warning turned out to be a test, accidentally broadcast to 20 government offices in Aichi prefecture because a volume switch had been left on.

"We were worried at first, but a correction was broadcast before we could panic," a disaster management official for the prefecture said.

Japan has been sensitive to missile attacks since neighbor North Korea fired a ballistic missile in 1998 that flew over the country. In 2006, Pyongyang fired more missiles and tested a nuclear device.