Did the Emperor of Japan really write a paper? I just ask this question out of curiosity. 

I would like to hear opinions from researchers in Japan about this paper:
Speciation of two gobioid species, Pterogobius elapoides and Pterogobius zonoleucus revealed by multi-locus nuclear and mitochondrial DNA analyses

The first author is Akihito, unless there is another person with that single unique name at that unique address. 

Did he really contribute anything to that paper? Note that he doesn't have any degree, and he was 82 years old when that paper was published.



Updated:

I'm asking this question because the author is an emperor, i.e. somebody with immense power. 

An author with similar level of power was Elena Ceausescu. She only finished primary school. However, during the communist period, thanks to her dictator husband, she had a PhD, countless of papers and awards etc etc.

That's why I'm asking people in Japan. I do know how to use Google.
According to the Indian embassy of Japan he did author a similarily titled paper in 2008: link (titled Evolution of Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan populations of the
gobiid species, Pterogobius elapoides 
and Pterogobius zonoleucus, based on
molecular and morphological analysis), so it is a safe bet that the paper you are asking about is authored by His Majesty as well.

The Internet also confirms he specializes in ichtyological research.