Japan's new prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, plays the drums and favors heavy metal music to let off steam. Sanae Takaichi

Japan's "Iron Lady" listens to… Iron Maiden?

The country's parliament elected veteran ultraconservative lawmaker Sanae Takaichi to serve as the next prime minister on Tuesday, making her the first woman to take Japan's highest public office.

Takaichi is an admirer of Margaret Thatcher, Britain's first female prime minister who was nicknamed the "Iron Lady."

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

Here are a few interesting details about the new prime minister.

A longtime Iron Maiden fan
Speaking on Japanese radio station Tokyo FM's "BABYMETAL" podcast in August, Takaichi confirmed a longtime affinity for the iconic British heavy metal band Iron Maiden, but said her favorite artist was Japanese drummer Yoshiki, of the X JAPAN rock band from Chiba.

Yoshiki is one of the founding members of the group, which has been around since the early 1980s, and Takaichi said she admired both his drumming and his piano playing, which she called "absolutely wonderful — technically brilliant and beautiful."

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

Heavy metal drumming "to let off steam"
Takaichi's passion for guitar-driven loud music doesn't stop at fandom. She rocks. Since her days as a student she's played both the drums and guitar, and says it's that parallel that makes her such a fan of Yoshiki.

She used to play the drums in a heavy metal band that did Black Sabbath and Deep Purple covers, and CBS News' Japanese partner network TBS says there's still an electronic drum kit in her parliamentary residence — though she plays with headphones to avoid interrupting her colleagues.

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

"When I get irritated by my husband's choice of words or behavior, I play the electronic drums after he's gone to bed," she said. "'Burn' by Deep Purple is a staple. 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 pictures show a younger Takaichi "on her beloved Z400GP."

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

TBS says Takaichi has been 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 in training at a karate dojo, wearing a black belt.

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


An undated photo of Sanae Takaichi with her motorcycle. Sanae Takaichi


An undated photo shows Sanae Takaichi practicing karate. Sanae Takaichi

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