Australia PM under fire for remarks on Japanese counterpart’s melon gifts

Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing criticism over remarks he made about melons gifted by his Japanese counterpart, Sanae Takaichi. During an appearance on the Bush Deep podcast, Albanese referred to the melons as "pretty strange" and later joked about their resemblance to actress Pamela Anderson. The incident, which aired in July, has resurfaced after former Japanese ambassador Shingo Yamagami labeled Albanese's comments a "sexist joke."

Opposition leaders, including opposition leader Angus Taylor and several Labor ministers, have demanded Albanese apologize, but the prime minister maintains that it was the podcast host who made the joke. Former ambassador Yamagami compared the melon gifts to "treasured special" items in Japan and urged Albanese to focus on strengthening the strategic partnership between the two countries rather than making inappropriate comments.