両陛下、初のオンライン視察　病院関係者ねぎらう―新型コロナ

　天皇、皇后両陛下は１８日、お住まいの赤坂御所で、新型コロナウイルス感染症の対応に当たる日本赤十字社医療センター（東京都渋谷区）などの関係者とオンラインで懇談し、ねぎらわれた。
　両陛下はこれまで専門家を御所に招いて説明を受けるなどしてきたが、オンラインでの視察は初めて。側近によると、今後もオンラインの活用を検討していくという。
　この日は同センターと北海道北見市、福島市、那覇市の各赤十字病院をそれぞれ回線でつないだ。日赤によると、両陛下は院長らの説明に熱心に耳を傾け、「皆さまの活動に大変敬意を表します」などと各病院の医療スタッフ一人ひとりに声を掛けた。
　重症患者への対応について説明を受けた天皇陛下は「長く続いてご苦労があるでしょう」と気遣ったという。視察は予定時間を大幅に超え、２時間以上に及んだ。（2020/11/18-20:46）

Japanese Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako on Wednesday held online meetings with medical workers fighting the novel coronavirus epidemic to give them words of encouragement.
   It was the first time for the Imperial couple to talk through an online video link with medical personnel engaged in the treatment of covonavirus patients. The Emperor and the Empress previously invited infectious disease experts to their residence to get briefed on the coronavirus situation.
   The couple will consider the continued use of an online format to interact with medical workers, according to aides.
   On Wednesday, the couple's residence in the Japanese capital's Minato Ward was connected, using a video link, with each of the Japanese Red Cross Medical Center in Tokyo's Shibuya Ward and Red Cross hospitals in the city of Kitami in the northernmost prefecture of Hokkaido, the northeastern city of Fukushima and the city of Naha, the capital of the southernmost prefecture of Okinawa.
   Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako attentively listened to explanations from the heads of the hospitals, according to officials of the Japanese Red Cross Society. The couple also showed their respect for the activities of the medical staff and talked to each hospital worker attending the online sessions, the officials said.