[1/5] Japan's Emperor Naruhito, Empress Masako, former Japanese emperor Akihito and former empress Michiko appear before well-wishers during the traditional New Year's greeting ceremony by Japan's royal family at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on January 2, 2023. PHILIP FONG/Pool via REUTERSTOKYO, Jan 2 (Reuters) - Japan's Emperor Naruhito on Monday gave a New Year's address and greeted members of the public for the first time in three years as the country eases COVID-19 pandemic restrictions amid a year-end surge in infections. Naruhito, 62, was joined by other royals, including his wife, Empress Masako, 59, and his father, Emperor Emeritus Akihito, 89, who abdicated in 2019. About 9,600 people, split into six groups over the course of the day, were chosen by lottery to attend the New Year's event, a much smaller number than the tens of thousands that usually gather for the traditional royal greeting. Since the start of the pandemic, the country has registered about 30 million infections and almost 60,000 deaths.

---