Japan’s New Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi Is A Metalhead… And A Drummer

Japan has elected its first female Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi—and she’s not your typical politician. According to CNN, Takaichi is a longtime fan of hard rock and heavy metal, citing bands like Iron Maiden, Black Sabbath, and Deep Purple as favorites. She also still finds time to drum:

“I play after [my husband] goes to sleep”

Takaichi has spoken about her love for music and motorcycles in past interviews. In 2021 with Friday News, she recalled her rebellious high school days:

“I was often late and used a motorcycle to get to school. I wore a jersey under my skirt, straddled the bike, parked it behind the school, and climbed over the wire fence to get to school every morning. I know it’s against school rules, so I know it’s not allowed.”

Her college years were equally rock-fueled. She said:

“I was a heavy metal fan and played in four bands as a drummer. In my second or third year, I even played in a professional backing band, performing behind Mariko Kobayashi, the Janice of Naniwa. It was a lot of fun“

On top of her drumming skills, Takaichi has a strong singing voice, as demonstrated in her cover of X Japan’s 1994 single “Rusty Nail.”

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