Sanae Takaichi. Japan’s Prime Minister. Expressed her deep admiration for British rock band Deep Purple during a meeting in Tokyo on Friday, according to the BBC. Takaichi, a self-described hard rock enthusiast, told the band’s drummer Ian Paice, ‘You are my god,’ as she handed him a pair of signed Japanese-made drumsticks.

Prime Minister’s Deep Connection to Deep Purple

Takaichi, 65, has been a fan of Deep Purple since her primary school days; she played in a Deep Purple tribute band as a girl and has continued her passion for the genre throughout her life. During the meeting at her office in Tokyo, she joked that she drums to the band’s song ‘Burn’ when she fights with her husband, casting a ‘curse’ on him.

Takaichi said she has always had a special connection to the band. ‘I have the deepest respect for the way you continue to make rock history while embracing new challenges and creating captivating music to this day,’ she said through an interpreter, according to the BBC.

Historic Meeting During Deep Purple’s Japan Tour

The meeting took place as Deep Purple returned to Japan for a tour, where they recorded the 1972 live album Made in Japan, considered one of the greatest rock albums ever recorded. Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, welcomed the band to the country, expressing her hope that the tour would ‘thrill and excite fans all over Japan’ and promote cultural exchange between the UK and Japan.

Paice, the band’s drummer, called the meeting an ‘added bonus’ and expressed his pleasure at visiting Japan again. The band wrote on Instagram that Takaichi has long named Deep Purple as one of her favorite bands. ‘She even told the group she bought their Machine Head album back in grade school,’ the band stated.

Deep Purple’s Legacy and Takaichi’s Passion for Music

Formed in England in 1968. Deep Purple became known as one of the ‘unholy trinity’ of British heavy metal bands, alongside Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin, and their most renowned hit, ‘Smoke on the Water,’ came from their 1971 album Machine Head.

Takaichi played keyboard in a Deep Purple tribute band before picking up the drums while at university, and she was known to carry several sets of drumsticks due to a tendency to break them during intense performances.

The visit to the prime minister’s office was a welcome respite for Takaichi, who has faced increasingly strained diplomatic ties with China, rising prices, and a sluggish economy since coming to office in October. The meeting with Deep Purple highlighted her passion for music and her connection to the band, which has remained strong over the years.

Takaichi’s admiration for Deep Purple is well known, and her meeting with the band has been widely covered in the media, though the encounter provided a rare glimpse into the prime minister’s personal interests and her deep love for rock music.

The band’s return to Japan for a tour has been eagerly anticipated by fans, and the meeting with Takaichi has added an unusual and memorable chapter to their journey. The prime minister’s enthusiastic support for Deep Purple has been a highlight of their time in Japan, and it is expected to further strengthen cultural ties between the UK and Japan.