Sanae Takaichi Meets British Rock Band Deep Purple, Declares 'You Are My God'

Deep Purple is set to embark on a tour in Japan, performing at the Budokan tomorrow, followed by shows in Osaka and Nagoya. Today, they visited the Prime Minister's Office to meet Sanae Takaichi, a well-known rock fan. According to Nippon TV, Takaichi initially appeared slightly nervous, but immediately broke into a wide smile upon meeting the band members, exclaiming, "Deep Purple is here!" unable to hide her excitement. Takaichi stated that she has been a loyal fan of Deep Purple since her student days, even forming a cover band. She specially presented drummer Ian Paice with a personally signed drumstick and said in English, "You are my god," showing her reverence. Takaichi also revealed her passion for drumming, jokingly saying, "If I argue with my husband now, I'll play 'Burn' (a representative song by Deep Purple) to vent," which lightened the atmosphere. On the other hand, Takaichi also stated that "the content industry is a very important part of the 17 growth strategies promoted by the Takaichi cabinet," and appealed to Deep Purple, hoping they could become "an important force in promoting the long-standing Anglo-Japanese cultural exchange." It is understood that Takaichi prepared gifts such as Japanese sake, and Deep Purple reciprocated with a drum set. During her student days, Takaichi joined a light music club, serving as a band drummer and performing songs by British rock bands such as Black Sabbath and Deep Purple. Earlier this year, when South Korean President Lee Jae-myung visited Japan, the two even spontaneously performed a drum duet, playing BTS's song "Dynamite" and "Golden," a hit song from the animated film "K-Pop Demon Hunters" which recently won an Oscar for Best Original Song. In early March, during a budget committee meeting of both houses of parliament, Sanae Takaichi was filmed by television using a blanket with the name of YOSHIKI, leader of the rock band X JAPAN, printed on it. It was discovered to be a rare VIP limited merchandise from their 2016 tour, sparking heated discussions among fans. Takaichi has always publicly stated that she is a loyal fan of YOSHIKI, and in her early years, she even passionately sang X JAPAN's song "Rusty Nail" on a singing program. Related videos went viral again on social media after she became Prime Minister. (Editor: Chen Chenggong) 2026-04-10