A writer for the US animated comedy program Family Guy has apologised after making a joke linking Japan's massive earthquake-tsunami disaster to the 1941 attack on Pearl Harbour.

In a message on Twitter about Friday's earthquake, scriptwriter Alec Sulkin wrote: "If you wanna feel better about this earthquake in Japan, google 'Pearl Harbor death toll."'

Sorry ... Alec Sulkin. Credit:Getty Images

The reference to imperial Japan's sneak attack on US forces in Hawaii, which killed about 2500 people, set off a storm of criticism over the internet.

Sulkin apologised and deleted the message, explaining that he wrote it when he believed the death toll was lower.