Arabic version: تايلور يدعو ألبانيزي إلى الاعتذار لتاكايتشي اليابانية

According to ABC News, Opposition Leader Angus Taylor has called on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese to personally apologise to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over a gesture involving two melons she gifted him. Albanese’s office says the gesture was not a crude joke, rejecting an assertion that it referred to Ms Takaichi’s body.

The exchange occurred during Albanese’s appearance last month on the Bush Deep podcast, when host Nikki Osborne asked how the fruit had been brought into Australia. The episode returned to attention after former Australian ambassador Shingo Yamagami criticised it in The Australian as “insulting”, ignorant and a betrayal of the close relationship between Australia and Japan.

Taylor said the comments were beneath the office of prime minister and said an apology issued through a statement was insufficient. Liberal deputy leader Jane Hume described the comments as “grubby” and “inappropriate”. The same podcast appearance had previously drawn criticism after Albanese made remarks about singer Kylie Minogue during a game, for which he later apologised.

Senior Labor ministers defended the prime minister and stressed the importance of ties with Japan. Social Services Minister Tanya Plibersek said Australia had an excellent relationship with Japan and disagreed with Yamagami’s interpretation. Health Minister Mark Butler said the relationship involved close economic and security cooperation and that Albanese held deep respect for it.

No Japanese government figure has publicly commented on the episode. Japanese officials told ABC News when the matter first emerged that they were not focused on it and would not comment on a minor incident given broader cooperation. Yamagami also said the remarks overlooked the cultural significance of crown melons, luxury fruits that are intensely cultivated in Japan, and urged Albanese to focus on the challenges facing both countries.