Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing calls to apologise to his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi. This results from remarks he made about two expensive melons she gave him during a visit to Australia.The comments have drawn criticism from Japan’s former ambassador to Australia, who described them as a sexist joke and an insult to Takaichi. Albanese, however, has rejected the criticism and maintained that the remarks have been misinterpreted.
The controversy centres on an episode of the Bush Deep podcast that aired in July. During the programme, Albanese discussed two crown melons presented to him by Takaichi during her visit to Australia in May.
Podcast host and comedian Nikki Osborne joked about Takaichi arriving with the two melons and compared her appearance to Pamela Anderson. Albanese then responded that the melons were “pretty strange” gifts but that they had “ended up being quite good”.
The exchange attracted little attention when the episode was first released but resurfaced after Shingo Yamagami, Japan’s former ambassador to Canberra, criticised the Australian leader in an opinion piece published by The Australian.
Yamagami described Albanese’s remarks as a “sexist joke” and said they had undermined the close relationship between Australia and Japan. He argued that Takaichi would not have expected to be mocked by the leader of a country regarded as one of Japan’s closest strategic partners.
Crown Melons
Crown melons are among Japan’s most prized fruits and are traditionally regarded as luxury gifts. Yamagami noted that a single melon can cost more than 30,000 yen ($188).
He urged Albanese to appreciate the gifts for what they represented rather than making comments that could be interpreted as a reference to a woman’s body.
Opposition Reacts
The criticism has been seized upon by Australia’s opposition, with an MP asking Albanese in parliament to apologise for what was described as “foul-mouthed, classless comments about women”.
Albanese rejected the characterisation of his remarks and defended Australia’s relationship with Japan. “Australia and Japan have never been closer,” he said. Also adding that his government had taken the two countries’ special strategic partnership to “new heights”.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor also criticised the comments as insulting and called on Albanese to make a personal apology to Takaichi.
Several senior Labor ministers have defended the prime minister. Finance Minister Katy Gallagher said Albanese’s remarks were not intended to be interpreted in the manner suggested.
Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek similarly described the criticism as an unnecessary interpretation of what the prime minister said. She urged people to watch the exchange themselves and draw their own conclusions.
The latest controversy comes shortly after Albanese faced widespread criticism over another appearance on Osborne’s podcast. During that episode, Osborne asked the prime minister whether he would “shag, marry or date” Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman or Rhonda Burchmore. Albanese responded by choosing Minogue and saying “all of the above”.
The comments prompted a wave of criticism, after which Albanese issued a public apology.
“I apologise unequivocally for the comments,” he said at the time.
Osborne is known for her crude comedy sketches and launched her podcast series earlier this year. The podcast’s website describes her as a journalist who asks deliberately provocative questions.
The latest dispute has now placed Albanese under renewed scrutiny over his judgement and conduct in informal media appearances. However, his government insists that the remarks about Takaichi’s gifts were never intended as a personal insult.
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