TOKYO — For Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, a leader grappling with stacked diplomatic tensions, domestic economic challenges and a grueling work schedule, Friday brought an unexpected, joyful interlude: hosting her lifelong favorite rock band, British legendary hard rock group Deep Purple, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Tokyo.
A self-proclaimed superfan with more than 50 years of devotion to the band, Takaichi entered the meeting room with open arms and a wide grin, unable to hide her excitement. “Welcome to Japan… Oh I can’t believe Deep Purple are here,” she said, greeting the assembled band members. “I have always admired Deep Purple.”
When she turned to drummer Ian Paice, her enthusiasm grew even more heartfelt. “You’re my god,” she told him, before gifting Paice a custom set of Japanese-manufactured TAMA drumsticks that she had personally signed. In a warm, casual exchange, Paice replied with a laugh, “You’re a drummer, we are friends.”
The meeting pulled back the curtain on a little-known personal side of Japan’s first female prime minister: Takaichi is a lifelong lover of hard rock and heavy metal, and she once performed as a musician herself. She shared that her fandom stretches back to her elementary school years, when she first fell in love with Deep Purple’s iconic 1972 album *Machine Head*, which features timeless hits including Highway Star and Smoke on the Water. By junior high, she was playing keyboard in a Deep Purple cover band, and she switched to drums when she entered university.
In a playful reveal of how she unwinds from political stress even today, Takaichi joked that when she argues with her husband, she plays along to Deep Purple’s track *Burn* on her drum kit to blow off steam. “Burn” has long been one of her go-to songs; she has previously said the track helps clear her mind after long days of policy work.
The courtesy visit from Deep Purple comes as Takaichi navigates a period of significant political pressure: strained bilateral relations with China, growing economic and security fallout from the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, and persistent rising prices that have eroded public support at home. Even in this lighthearted meeting, however, Takaichi tied the encounter to her government’s policy agenda. She emphasized that supporting and promoting cultural and creative content is a core pillar of her administration’s economic growth strategy.
Before the band wrapped up their visit, Takaichi offered a formal message of respect for the group’s decades-long contribution to rock music. “I express my deepest respect for you for making rock history and continuing to take on new challenges and producing even more compelling music today,” she said, wishing the band a successful tour, which is set to kick off Saturday in Tokyo.