Sanae Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister, plays Iron Maiden and Deep Purple to let off steam

The Japanese “Iron Lady” listens to… Iron Maiden?

The country’s parliament elected a seasoned ultraconservative lawmaker Sanae Takaichi On Tuesday, she will become the next prime minister, making her the first woman to hold Japan’s highest public office.

Takaichi is an admirer of Margaret Thatcher, the first female British Prime Minister nicknamed the “Iron Lady”.

She favors a strong economy and a strong military and, according to Japanese media interviews, a loud drum riff.

Here are some interesting details about the new Prime Minister.

Long-time Iron Maiden fan

Speaking on Japanese radio station Tokyo FM’s “BABYMETAL” podcast in August, Takaichi confirmed a long-standing affinity for iconic British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, but said his favorite artist was Japanese drummer Yoshiki, of Chiba rock band X JAPAN.

Yoshiki is one of the founding members of the group, which has been around since the early 1980s, and Takaichi has said she admires both his drumming and his piano playing, which she calls “absolutely wonderful – technically brilliant and beautiful”.

She told Tokyo FM that she still listens to Iron Maiden regularly.

Heavy metal percussion “to let off steam”

Takaichi’s passion for loud, guitar-driven music doesn’t stop at fandom. She’s awesome. Since she was a student, she has played both drums and guitar, and says it’s this parallel that makes her such a fan of Yoshiki.

She played drums in a heavy metal band that did covers of Black Sabbath and Deep Purple, and CBS News’ Japanese partner network TBS says there’s always an electronic drum set in her congressional residence — although she plays with headphones to avoid interrupting her colleagues.

She told the Tokyo FM podcast hosts that although it’s no longer a daily ritual, she still plays the drums to relieve stress.

“When I get irritated by my husband’s words or behavior, I play the electronic drums after he goes to bed,” she said. “‘Burn’ by Deep Purple is a must. I play songs like this to let off steam.”

From classic rock to classic bikes

A photo album on Takaichi’s personal political website reveals another passion: motorcycles. Two photos show a younger Takaichi “on her beloved Z400GP”.

One photo shows her showing the unidentified photographer as she sits astride his red and black Kawasaki.

TBS reports that Takaichi was listed as a member of the Japanese parliament’s motorcycle club.

A black belt in karate

Another undated photo on the new prime minister’s website shows her training in a karate dojo, wearing a black belt.

TBS said it was unclear whether Takaichi still practiced the Japanese martial art.