Anthony Albanese melon joke played down by Japan

Japan has played down Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's comments about expensive melons given to him by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, saying it had been told he did not make the remarks in the way they were reported.

“We are aware of the reporting in the media,” a Japanese government statement said Wednesday. “We have been informed by the Australian side that Prime Minister Albanese did not make the comments in the way that has been reported.”

The statement said a dinner hosted by Albanese during Takaichi's visit to Australia in May was held in a relaxed atmosphere and helped build personal trust between the two leaders.

The row followed Albanese's appearance last month on the comedy podcast Bush Deep. Asked about his “most crap” diplomatic gift, he referred to a “strange” gift of Japanese melons from Takaichi.

When host Nikki Osborne asked whether Takaichi had “smuggled” the fruit through Australian customs, Albanese held his hands near his chest and said he “got a couple of melons”. Osborne then referred to US actor and “Baywatch” star Pamela Anderson.

Australia's opposition leader called the comments “insulting” and urged Albanese to apologise. Asked in parliament Tuesday whether he would say sorry for what the question described as “disrespectful behaviour”, Albanese replied: “I reject the assertion in the question.”

Some social media users in Japan criticised the remarks as disrespectful to Takaichi and to Japan. Others objected to the perceived insult to Japanese fruit, with the melon variety in question costing upwards of 30,000 yen, or about $190.

Albanese said the fruit “ended up being quite good”. He had already apologised over separate comments in the same podcast interview about singer Kylie Minogue.