In a holiday tradition, Santa Claus is being tracked by US and Canadian air defense officials as he delivers presents to children around the world.

The North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD, operates a special website that shows Santa Claus in flight on his sleigh being pulled by reindeer.

The tracker showed him traveling over Japan near Mount Fuji and Tokyo Skytree at about 11:00 p.m. local time Saturday.

NORAD officials say that Santa was seen with his flowing white beard this year. During the previous two Christmas seasons, he had to wear a mask due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Officials say Santa started out his mission with 60,000 tons of presents on his sleigh. He apparently arrives at children's homes only when they are asleep.

NORAD normally tracks missiles. It started the Christmas tradition in 1955, when children called the command by mistake hoping to talk to Santa Claus.

There are more than 1,200 volunteers taking calls from children and answering e-mails from all over the world, this year.