He was 18 closed by Prince Hissachito of Japan, the second in the series of succession of the throne, giving his first press conference Monday Monday.

Hissachito closed in 18 last September, and became the first male member of the royal family to adult for nearly four decades in Japan. During the interview he said that he would try to balance his official duties and university studies as well as his Libelula research.

The prince said he would follow the good examples of his uncle, Emperor Naruhito, and other largest members of the imperial family, while continuing his university studies, starting next month.

Speaking to reporters at the Akasaka Estate residence in Tokyo, Hissakito said that he believes that the role of the emperor as a symbolic figure is someone who “always thinks people and stays close to them”.

Hissachito is the second in the succession of the “throne of Chrysanthemum”, after his father, the successor of the throne Akisino. Before Hissachito’s birthday last year, his father was the last man to grow up in the family in 1985.

The prince is the youngest of the 16 -member adult imperial family and one of just five men, including the former Emperor Akihito.

The law of the 1947 Imperial House, which largely retains conservative pre -war family values, only allows a man to succeed the throne. Female royal members who marry people who do not belong to royal families lose their royal status.

Hissakito’s greatest cousin, Princess Aiko – the monk of Naruhito and his wife Masakos is considered the favorite of the public, though the law for the time being forbidden to become an Empress. The Conservative Government of Japan wants to maintain the tradition that only men succeed the throne, though it is seeking a way to allow women to maintain their royal position if they marry common people and serve in royal duties.

In his childhood, Hissachito showed a strong interest in insects and plans to study biology at Tsukuba University near Tokyo, starting in April. He hopes to focus his studies on the Libeloules, a species that has fueled him.

In addition to research on dragonflies and other insects, Hissakito told reporters that he is also interested in studying ways to protect insect populations in urban areas. His other interests are in the cultivation of tomato and rice in the palace complex.