Deep Purple visits Japanese Prime Minister
Sanae Takaichi is an amateur drummer and fan of hard rock and heavy metal, and she has referred to Deep Purple as one of her favourite bands along with the likes of Black Sabbath and Iron Maiden, Reuters reports.
“You are my god,” a giddy Takaichi said in English to Deep Purple drummer Ian Paice, presenting him with a set of made-in-Japan drumsticks that she signed.
After a brief photo session with lead singer Ian Gillan and the other members, Takaichi told the band she had bought their “Machine Head” album in grade school.
“These days, when I fight with my husband I drum to ‘Burn’ and cast a curse on him,” she joked.
“I have the deepest respect for the way you continue to make rock history,” Sanae Takaichi said.
Deep Purple’s ties to Japan run deep. The double live album “Made in Japan”, recorded during the band’s first Japan tour in 1972, cemented its reputation as one of rock’s most formidable live acts.
The band kicks off its 2026 Japan tour on Saturday at Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan.