Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected calls to apologize to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over crude remarks made during a podcast about a gift of premium Japanese melons, saying he rejects the suggestion that his comments were disrespectful.
The controversy erupted during a July appearance on the Bush Deep podcast, hosted by comedian Nikki Osborne, where Albanese discussed an unusual gift he received from Takaichi during her visit to Australia in May.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor on Tuesday demanded that Albanese personally apologize to Takaichi, describing the remarks as insulting and beneath the office of prime minister.
But Albanese dismissed the criticism during parliamentary question time.
“I reject the assertion in the question,” he said when asked whether he would apologize for what opposition lawmakers described as disrespectful behavior.
“Prime Minister Takaichi is a friend of Australia and a friend of mine,” Albanese said, adding that Australia and Japan have never been closer or more strategically aligned.
The comments concerned two Shizuoka Crown Melons presented to Albanese by Takaichi during a dinner in Canberra on May 4. Japan’s prime minister’s office confirmed that Takaichi presented Albanese with a Shizuoka-grown Crown Melon before the dinner, highlighting the significance of the gift as Australia had only recently lifted restrictions on imports of Japanese melons.
Crown Melons are among Japan’s most prestigious fruits. They are cultivated under highly controlled conditions using a system in which only one fruit is allowed to mature on each plant, making them a luxury gift in Japanese culture.
During the podcast, Osborne asked Albanese about the strangest gifts he had received while traveling or hosting foreign leaders. He mentioned the melons from Takaichi and joked about how they had made it through Australian customs.
“I got a couple of melons,” Albanese said.
Osborne then made a comparison involving Pamela Anderson. Albanese did not make that comparison, despite social media posts and some commentary attributing it to him, according to an AAP fact-check.
The episode also included a separate exchange in which Albanese was asked to choose among several celebrities in a “shag, marry or date” game. He selected singer Kylie Minogue for “all of the above,” comments for which he later apologized.
The melon remarks initially attracted less attention but resurfaced weeks later, prompting a political backlash and criticism from former Japanese ambassador to Australia Shingo Yamagami.
Yamagami argued that Albanese's comments were inappropriate given the cultural and diplomatic significance of the gift. Australian opposition politicians subsequently seized on the issue, accusing the prime minister of using crude humor when discussing a female foreign leader and an important diplomatic partner.
The Australian government, however, has pushed back against the criticism.
Foreign Minister Penny Wong said Albanese had made clear that he did not intend the comments to be interpreted as an insult. Other government figures have also argued that the podcast was a comedic setting and that the remarks have been taken out of context.
More importantly, Japan itself has shown little appetite for escalating the controversy.
A Japanese diplomatic cable reportedly described the Australian media coverage as sensationalized and found no ill intention in Albanese's remarks. Japanese officials indicated that they did not intend to pursue the matter further, underscoring the government's preference to protect the broader bilateral relationship.
That relationship has expanded significantly in recent years.
During Takaichi's May visit, Australia and Japan announced agreements covering critical minerals, energy security and defense cooperation. The two countries have also strengthened their strategic partnership as they seek greater economic and security cooperation in the Indo-Pacific.
The Japanese prime minister's office said the May summit dinner was held in a relaxed atmosphere and that both leaders reaffirmed the importance of cooperation while deepening their personal relationship.
For Albanese, the controversy comes after an already damaging podcast appearance that forced him to apologize for the comments about Minogue.
But he has drawn a line between that apology and the separate controversy over the Japanese gift, refusing to offer another apology despite mounting pressure from the opposition.
As of Tuesday, there was no indication that Takaichi or the Japanese government had formally requested one.
