Anthony Albanese has been urged to personally apologise to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi after his comments about her “melons” were criticised by a former diplomat as “insulting”.

Last month, the Prime Minister appeared on comedy podcast Bush Deep, where he referred to the gift of crown melons, the most prized fruit in Japan, given to him by Sanae Takaichi during her visit earlier this year.

He referenced the Japanese leader bringing “a couple of melons” before gesturing with his hands.

“She brought two, as you do,” Mr Albanese said, after the host referred to actress and former Playboy model Pamela Anderson.

On Monday, former diplomat Shingo Yamagami referred to the comments as a “gaffe” and an “unthoughtful joke” in an opinion piece for The Australian.

“It is a time for toiling and not for crude jokes at another’s expense,” Mr Yamagami wrote.

He claimed the remarks showed “ignorance” about the significance of the gift and “casually mocked” Ms Takaichi, who had previously been subject to disparaging remarks from Japan’s federal opposition and Chinese leaders.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor later described the comments as “beneath the office of the prime minister”.

“They were insulting and the prime minister should make a personal apology. He’s done it through a statement,” Mr Taylor said on Monday.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jane Hume echoed this sentiment, saying: “They (the remarks) were grubby, they were inappropriate, and if you offend a woman, you should apologise to that woman.”

But Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek described Mr Yamagami’s criticism as “100 per cent wrong”, telling Seven’s Sunrise his interpretation was not accurate.

I completely disagree that (Mr Albanese) was in any way making the suggesting that the former ambassador is proposing,” Ms Plibersek said.

“I’m really glad you played (the clip of Mr Albanese’s comments) because I think people can make up their own minds.”
This prompted One Nation MP Barnaby Joyce, appearing on the same program, to interject: “They have.”

Ms Plibersek then lashed the populist party’s leader, Pauline Hanson, for her recent appearance on a podcast with UK far-right activist Tommy Robinson.

Robinson has served prison time for offences including assault, fraud and contempt of court.

“Your leader did a podcast with a convicted criminal … so I don’t think you’re on very strong ground on the podcast story,” she said.

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