Japan emperor's NY message remembers COVID victims

Japan's Emperor Naruhito offered prayers for those who died during the pandemic, taking to video for the second straight year for his New Year's greeting on Saturday, having cancelled public palace gatherings to curb coronavirus infections.

Japan has recorded more than 18,000 COVID-19-related deaths, but the pace of deaths has fallen in recent months. Naruhito also voiced worries about the fast-spreading omicron variant. Before the pandemic, the imperial palace in central Tokyo would open at the start of each year to cheering, flag-waving crowds.