天皇陛下、新年にビデオメッセージ　国民向け初、一般参賀中止で

　宮内庁は１０日、天皇陛下が新年に当たり国民に向けたビデオメッセージを出される予定だと発表した。新型コロナウイルスの感染拡大防止の観点から、毎年１月２日に皇居で行われている新年一般参賀が見送られたためで、陛下が広く国民に向けてビデオメッセージを出すのは初めて。（2020/12/10-19:42）

The Imperial Household Agency said Thursday that Emperor Naruhito plans to release a video message to the Japanese people for the start of 2021.
   The video message will come as the Emperor's New Year greeting to the public at the Imperial Palace, held on Jan. 2 every year, is set to be canceled next year as novel coronavirus infections are continuing in the country.
   It will be the first time for Emperor Naruhito to release a video message aimed at the general public since he ascended the throne in May last year.
   The Emperor's "direct interactions with the Japanese people have decreased due to the coronavirus epidemic, which has led to all of his regional visits being postponed," the agency said. "We have decided on the video message as a substitute for the Jan. 2 greeting event."
   Former Emperor Akihito, the current Emperor's father, who now hold the title of Emperor Emeritus, released video messages to the general public twice while he was on the throne. The first video was released days after the March 11, 2011, earthquake and tsunami, which ravaged northeastern Japan, to show his sympathy to victims of the catastrophe, and the second video in August 2016, in which he expressed his intention to abdicate due to his old age.