When members of the legendary British rock band Deep Purple arrived in Tokyo in April 2026, they were welcomed not just by fans but by one of their most enthusiastic admirers: Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. What began as a courtesy visit quickly turned into a memorable fan moment inside the Prime Minister’s Office.
Takaichi greeted the band with visible excitement, telling the musicians that she had been a devoted fan for decades. Her admiration focused especially on drummer Ian Paice. During the meeting she handed him a pair of Japanese-made TAMA drumsticks she had personally signed and exclaimed, “You are my god,” prompting smiles from the band members.
The prime minister’s love for the band goes back to her childhood. She told the musicians that she first bought the band’s classic 1972 album Machine Head while she was still in grade school. The record includes some of the band’s biggest songs such as “Smoke on the Water” and “Highway Star.”
Music also played a role in Takaichi’s own youth. She revealed that she performed in a Deep Purple cover band during middle school, initially playing keyboards before later switching to drums when she reached university. Even today she still plays electronic drums to relax and release stress.
At one point during the meeting, she joked about how she still turns to the band’s music at home. Referring to the Deep Purple song “Burn,” Takaichi humorously said that when she argues with her husband she sometimes sits down at the drums and plays the song while “casting a curse on him.” The comment drew laughter from those in the room.
For Takaichi, the meeting provided a welcome break from the pressures of leading Japan. Since becoming the country’s first female prime minister in 2025, she has faced several major political and economic challenges, including diplomatic tensions with China, rising domestic prices and global energy concerns.
Despite the seriousness of her daily responsibilities, the meeting with Deep Purple showed a lighter side of the Japanese leader. She praised the band for continuing to innovate after more than five decades in music and said she deeply respected their ability to keep making rock history while evolving creatively.
The visit also highlighted the long connection between Deep Purple and Japan. One of the band’s most celebrated records, the live album Made in Japan, was recorded during their first Japanese tour in 1972 and helped cement their reputation as one of rock’s most powerful live acts.
After the meeting at the Prime Minister’s Office, the band continued their trip with scheduled performances in the country, including a major show at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan as part of their 2026 Japan tour.
For a brief moment in the middle of diplomatic meetings and political pressures, the office of Japan’s prime minister turned into something closer to a rock fan’s dream — with one of the world’s most powerful leaders meeting the band she had admired since childhood.
