Japan’s former envoy to Australia has sharply criticised Anthony Albanese after the Prime Minister made a controversial “melons” remark involving Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The comment came during Albanese’s appearance on Nikki Osborne’s Bush Deep podcast, where he recounted receiving a prized “royal melon” from Takaichi during her first official visit to Australia in May.
When Osborne asked whether the fruit had been “smuggled” into the country, Albanese joked that the Japanese leader had “got a couple of melons,” accompanying the line with hand gestures.
Osborne then quipped that Takaichi was “looking like Pamela Anderson,” prompting Albanese to add: “She brought two, as you do… and they’re beautiful.”
Nearly a month after the podcast episode aired, Albanese rejected claims that his remarks were intended as a crude reference to Takaichi’s body, saying on Monday: “This assertion is wrong.”
But Shingo Yamagami, Japan’s former ambassador in Canberra, argued the exchange had damaged Albanese’s standing among many people in Japan.
Yamagami said Takaichi has previously faced sexist and demeaning commentary about her appearance and gender from China and domestic political rivals, adding that “the last thing she expected was to be so casually mocked by the trusted leader of Japan’s special strategic partner”.
“However lighthearted it was intended to be, the recent joke delivered by PM Anthony Albanese at the expense of Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi is how he might be remembered by Japanese who most value the friendship with Australia,” he wrote.
Tokyo’s former ambassador to Canberra has unleashed over Anthony Albanese’s ‘melons’ comment
In an episode of the Bush Deep podcast with Nikki Osborne, Albanese recalled being given a ‘royal melon’ by Sanae Takaichi during her first visit to Australia in May
‘It is a time for toiling and not for crude jokes at another’s expense,’ he says.
He said Australia and Japan’s close relationship would not be weakened by the comments.
However, he said they showed ‘a paucity of strategic thinking’ when the two countries need to be working together to push back against China.
‘So, Prime Minister, please enjoy Japan’s sweet and juicy melons without thinking about a woman’s anatomy, and instead focus on what our two countries must do together.’
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He also said Albanese showed ‘appalling’ ignorance of the significance of the gift.
‘A crown melon is the most prized fruit in Japan and treasured as something special. Moreover, this particular fruit was painstakingly nurtured under intensive care in a special greenhouse. A single melon costs more than 30,000 yen ($270).’
Japanese journalist Waka Ikeda also blasted the remarks, saying they had undermined Takaichi’s dignity.
‘On recent evidence, a woman may run the world’s fourth-largest economy, stare down Beijing’s threats and still be reduced, by an allied prime minister, to two melons on a podcast,’ she said.
Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi
‘The joke was beneath him and beneath Australia, a long-time ally and friend of Japan. The silence that followed was beneath everyone.’
During the podcast, Albanese also sparked outrage by playing a game of ‘shag, marry or date’.
Albanese was asked to play the game involving Kylie Minogue, Nicole Kidman and Rhonda Burchmore, choosing which celebrity he would sleep with, marry or date.
Responding to the question, the Prime Minister said: ‘I’ve just got married. I’m only six months in.’
‘But if it goes tits up?’ Osborne hit back.
‘Kylie, clearly,’ he replied.
‘You’d marry Kylie? And shag her? And date her?’ questioned Osborne.
‘All of the above,’ replied Albanese. ‘She’s terrific.’
Elsewhere in the podcast interview, Osborne asked if Albanese and his new wife Jodie Haydon were ‘bonking like rabbits’.
‘Well, when we have time,’ he replied.
‘After the footy. It’s always a good aphrodisiac, a Souths win,’ he added, referencing the couple’s chosen NRL team.
