Albanese Faces Backlash After Crude Podcast Joke About Japan PM’s Gift Of Expensive 'Crown Melons'

Australia’s prime minister, Anthony Albanese, has come under fire after making a crude joke on a podcast about Japan’s prime minister, Sanae Takaichi, and a pair of prized crown melons she gifted him during a May visit to Australia.

Speaking with comedian and podcaster Nikki Osborne, Mr Albanese was asked to recall the strangest gift he had received overseas. After a pause, he identified two royal crown melons given to him by Ms Takaichi and imitated a suggestive two-handed gesture when the host asked how the melons had been "smuggled" through customs. He quipped that she had brought "a couple of melons... as you do."

Sanae Takaichi gave prized crown melons to her Australian counterpart on a visit to Australia in May - The Asahi Shimbun via Getty Images

Reaction And Diplomatic Concern

The podcast episode first aired in July, but the clip regained attention recently after Shingo Yamagami, Japan’s former ambassador to Australia, published an opinion piece sharply criticising the remarks. Mr Yamagami, who served as ambassador from 2020 to 2023, said the joke was "not only ungracious" and that it "betrays the close bond of our two nations."

"Both the comments and the gestures were appalling," Mr Yamagami wrote, adding that crown melons are Japan’s most prized fruit, grown in specialized greenhouses and sold at a premium — often fetching more than 30,000 yen (around £140) each.

Political Fallout At Home

Opposition politicians in Australia described Mr Albanese’s remarks as "grubby" and "beneath the office of the prime minister." Opposition leader Angus Taylor called the comments insulting and urged a personal apology. Mr Albanese has already issued a brief, one-line apology for an unrelated remark about singer Kylie Minogue but has not publicly apologised for the joke about Ms Takaichi or confirmed whether he apologised directly to officials in Tokyo.

Comedian Nikki Osborne hosted Mr Albanese on her podcast last month

Also on the episode, Ms Osborne compared Ms Takaichi’s appearance to that of Pamela Anderson — a remark Mr Albanese did not challenge — and later asked a light-hearted question about which Australian celebrities he would "shag, marry and date," to which he jokingly named Kylie Minogue. Critics say the combination of comments reflects poor judgement for a sitting prime minister and risks causing diplomatic embarrassment.

While the incident has provoked media scrutiny and calls for clarification, there has been no official statement from Tokyo indicating formal diplomatic action; the episode has, however, prompted debate about standards of conduct and respect in high-level diplomacy.