Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected repeated calls to apologize to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over offensive and disrespectful comments he made on a comedy podcast in early July regarding an exchange at the leaders’ recent meeting.
Albanese appeared to gesture in front of his chest while discussing a gift of Japanese melons that Takaichi had given him. “[Takaichi] brought two, as you do,” Albanese added, in discussion with Bush Deep podcast host Nikki Osborne
Osborne then joked, “She came in looking like Pamela Anderson.”
The comments have drawn backlash in Australia and Japan, with opposition leader Angus Taylor calling on Albanese to apologize for what he described as an “insulting” joke.
Albanese skirted around an apology, saying, “I reject the assertion in the question,” when asked in Parliament on Tuesday whether he would apologize for his “disrespectful behavior.”
Liberal member of Parliament Mary Aldred also condemned the remarks, describing them as “foul-mouthed, classless” and “disrespectful behaviour.”
The controversy has also drawn criticism from Japan. Shingo Yamagami, Australia’s former ambassador to Japan, wrote an op-ed in the Australian titled “Sexist melon joke was not only ungracious, it betrayed the close bond of our two nations,” in which he criticized what he called Albanese’s “crude jokes.”
In a subsequent social media post, Yamagami said the issue was “not a political issue, but a matter of courtesy, diplomatic manners, and respect for the other party.”
“No matter which country it is, one would not mock something that a friend has carefully prepared and kindly offered,” he wrote.
“I would like to ask Prime Minister Albanese to think about the efforts of Japanese melon farmers and to continue eating sweet and juicy Japanese melons throughout his term,” Yamagami said.
Premium Japanese melons are considered luxury items and can cost nearly $200, according to Yamagami.
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Albanese’s allies have rejected accusations that the comments were intended as an insult. Foreign Minister Penny Wong defended the prime minister, saying Albanese had been clear that he did not intend for his remarks to be interpreted in the way opposition lawmakers have characterized them.
“The prime minister has been clear that he did not mean for those comments to be interpreted in the way they have been by those opposite,” Wong said.