Move over, career politicians — Japan’s new Prime Minister has just officially joined the Church of Rock ’n’ Roll. In a move nobody saw coming (but everybody’s loving), she popped up on Babymetal’s official podcast this week and spent nearly an hour chatting about her lifelong love of Black Sabbath, Iron Maiden, and Deep Purple. 🖤🇯🇵

🎤 “WHEN I WAS YOUNGER, I SNUCK DEEP PURPLE TAPES INTO MY WALKMAN”

Forget stiff suits and corporate speeches — this PM came armed with stories from the pit. She told hosts Su-metal and Moametal that her teenage rebellion started with Deep Purple’s “Smoke on the Water”, which she described as “the first riff I ever learned on guitar.”

“My parents thought I was listening to classical music,” she joked. “But it was really Deep Purple turned up loud enough to wake Mount Fuji.” 😂

She went on to say that discovering Black Sabbath during university changed her life:

“Ozzy’s voice made me feel like anything was possible. It was dark, powerful, and strangely hopeful — it spoke to me more than any politician ever did.”

Honestly, we’d vote for that energy every day.

⚔️ THE TROOPER, THE TONE, AND THE TUNES

The PM also revealed that Iron Maiden’s “The Trooper” is her all-time motivational anthem — apparently, she even blasts it before major meetings. Imagine your PM headbanging to Bruce Dickinson before addressing the nation. Absolute scenes. 🤯

“There’s something about Maiden,” she said. “The storytelling, the power, the connection with fans. They’re not just a band — they’re a movement.”

She even joked that she’d love to see Babymetal collaborate with Tony Iommi from Black Sabbath, calling it “a bridge between generations of heavy music.”

“If I can make that happen, I’ll call it my greatest diplomatic achievement,” she laughed.

💬 FANS LOSE THEIR MINDS ONLINE

As soon as clips of the episode dropped, fans across the internet went absolutely nuclear. Comments flooded X (Twitter) and Reddit faster than a Slayer solo:

  • “Japan’s PM just made politics cool again!”
  • “We’ve had ministers of finance, but never a minister of metal!”
  • “Imagine parliament opening with ‘War Pigs’ — make it happen!”

One fan summed it up perfectly:

“Finally, a world leader who’d fit right in at Download Festival.” 🤘

🩸 THE METALHEAD MANIFESTO

This isn’t the first time Japan’s flirted with metal — Babymetal themselves have been national icons for years — but it’s the first time the Prime Minister has gone on record as a die-hard fan. It’s a wild, wonderful sign that metal isn’t just surviving; it’s thriving at the highest levels of culture and politics.

And in a world where most leaders are busy dodging questions, it’s lush to see one proudly talking about her first guitar, her first gig, and her undying love for Sabbath, Maiden, and Purple. 🖤

🎸 THE PM’S DREAM METAL SETLIST (AS WE IMAGINE IT)

  1. Black Sabbath – “War Pigs”
  2. Deep Purple – “Highway Star”
  3. Iron Maiden – “The Trooper”
  4. Babymetal – “Road of Resistance”
  5. Judas Priest – “Breaking the Law” (because, obviously)

We can only hope she brings that same energy to Japan’s next cabinet meeting. If she turns up in denim and spikes, we’re calling it — best Prime Minister in history.

Rock on, Prime Minister. Rock on. 🏴‍☠️🤘
Only in Japan, mun… proper job! 🇯🇵🔥