Politics & Government

Japanese PM Takaichi, South Korean President Lee Play Drums in Nara; Joint Session was Arranged as Surprise Treat by Amateur Percussionist Takaichi

Courtesy of the Cabinet Secretariat’s public relations office
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, right, and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung play drums in Nara on Tuesday.

The Yomiuri Shimbun

13:05 JST, January 14, 2026

NARA — Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung gave a drum performance together after their summit meeting in Nara on Tuesday.

It was a surprise treat for Lee from Takaichi, who plays drums as a hobby. The prime minister prepared the drum sets because Lee had shown an interest in the instrument during their first talks in October.

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They beat out the tunes to two K-pop songs — BTS’s megahit “Dynamite” and “Golden” from Netflix’s animated film “K-Pop Demon Hunters.”

“The president told me that he was glad to get the chance to play the drums, which had been his dream for many years,” Takaichi said in a post on X.