Sanae Takaichi (left) plays the drums in sync with rock musician Masanori Sera (right) on bass, in Chuo Ward, Tokyo.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, known among fans as a devoted metalhead, has long been passionate about heavy metal and hard rock. She began playing drums in a band as a student. Even today, she reportedly relieves stress by pounding out fierce rhythms on an electronic drum kit in her Diet dormitory.
At first glance, her image as Japan's first female prime minister might seem at odds with her love of such aggressive music. However, at heart, both are connected by the same "metal spirit."
A Passionate Discussion with BABYMETAL
Before assuming office in August, Takaichi appeared for two weeks on TOKYO FM's BABYMETAL's Metalogy! hosted by BABYMETAL, the globally popular female idol group that dances to heavy metal. There, she spoke at length about her musical journey. It began in fourth grade, when a neighbor, a music student working part-time at a record company, gave her unwanted demo records.
"Among them were Black Sabbath records. As an elementary school student, I started listening to Paranoid and Sabbath Bloody Sabbath," she recalled.
That encounter with the dark, ominous sound of Black Sabbath, the forefathers of heavy metal, left a permanent mark on young Sanae's soul. Later, she joined a band as a keyboardist in junior high school. And in high school, she discovered drums when a neighbor asked her to help the brass band's percussion section. Around that time, she also began listening to the American band Van Halen.
At Kobe University, she joined a light music club focused on rock, where she performed rock and heavy metal covers. Songs included UFO's "Rock Bottom" and "Doctor Doctor," Rainbow's "I Surrender," and various Michael Schenker Group (MSG) numbers. She also admired drummer Cozy Powell, recalling how she would rewind his solo albums over and over to learn by ear.
Annoying the Vocalist with Instrumentals
On the program, the Prime Minister requested four songs across two weeks, metal numbers she wanted listeners to hear. The first two were "Into the Arena" from MSG's debut album, and "Narita" by the American band Riot. Inspired by the Narita Airport conflict, the album (of the same name) features an iconic cover of a red sumo wrestler with a seal's head holding an axe, Mount Fuji in the background.
Both are instrumental tracks, songs she once practiced obsessively as a student drummer. Their guitar-driven melodies and dramatic structure demand advanced drumming skills, mirroring Takaichi's perfectionism in politics. But she laughed, recalling, "Our vocalist was furious because there was no part for him to sing!"
As in politics, asserting one's personal preferences too strongly can alienate others. On the show, Takaichi admitted that colleagues often criticize her for her "extreme insensitivity." During 2024's Liberal Democratic Party leadership race, her disjointed pre–runoff speech reportedly dampened the mood. This year, she raised eyebrows by suddenly reciting waka poetry during her campaign address.
Even her first two song choices, though highly regarded among metal fans, could have risked losing more casual listeners. But her second week's requests silenced any doubts.
A Savior from Out the Skies
Takaichi's final selections were Iron Maiden's "Aces High" and Judas Priest's "Painkiller," the crown jewels of British heavy metal.These are the metal world's version of timeless anthems known by all, comparable to Tsugaru Kaikyo Fuyugeshiki and Matsuri (two of the most iconic songs in the Japanese ballad form known as enka).
Though a staunch conservative, Prime Minister Takaichi has so far downplayed ideology in favor of practical economic measures that voters want. Her balance between personal authenticity (the first two songs) and populist appeal (the latter two) shows a sense of political rhythm, perhaps even harmony.
On "Painkiller," she said:
"I love that it begins with a drum solo. The guitar solo's cool, too. But it's really the lyrics — they give me hope. 'A savior comes from out the skies,' bringing back a world full of hope again. I just love that."
As she described, the song erupts with thunderous drums, twin guitar leads, and piercing falsetto screams. Its apocalyptic imagery, a cyborg avenger riding a "metal monster," roaring faster than bullets, spewing fire and smoke, crescendos into the refrain: "He is the Painkiller! This is the Painkiller!"
In her words and her music, Prime Minister Takaichi may see something deeper — a spirit of defiance and renewal.
Even in darkness, she seems to believe that Japan, like heavy metal itself, can rise again, loud, proud, and unbroken.
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(Read the article in Japanese.)
Author: Tomoyuki Chiba, The Sankei Shimbun
