Australian PM Refuses to Apologize for 'Melon Joke' About Japanese Minister, Reigniting Gender Row

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is embroiled in a fresh gender controversy following remarks he made about Japanese minister Sanae Takaichi. The incident occurred during a podcast interview in July when Albanese, discussing gifts from foreign leaders, mentioned receiving high-quality Japanese Crown melons from Takaichi during her visit to Australia in May. When the host jokingly asked how Takaichi managed to get the fruit through Australian quarantine, Albanese responded with a gesture of cupping his hands to his chest while saying, "She brought two big melons."

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She brought two big melons.

The host then quipped, "So she appeared like Pamela Anderson?" to which Albanese laughed in agreement. This exchange has been widely interpreted as a sexually suggestive double entendre, using "melons" as slang for female breasts, and referencing Pamela Anderson, a prominent sex symbol of the 1990s. The comments have drawn criticism from the Australian opposition, which has demanded an apology, deeming the joke insulting to women and disrespectful to the Japanese prime minister.

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So she appeared like Pamela Anderson?

However, Albanese has refused to apologize. During a parliamentary session on August 11, he rejected the accusations, stating, "I do not accept such accusations." He emphasized Takaichi's importance as a friend and highlighted the strategic partnership between Australia and Japan. Foreign Minister Penny Wong also defended the prime minister, denying any insulting intent in his remarks.

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I do not accept such accusations.

This is not the first time Albanese has faced scrutiny for his comments regarding women. Earlier this year, he was criticized for calling women's rights advocate Grace Tame "difficult" and later apologized, attributing the remark to a misunderstanding. He also faced backlash for comments made during his honeymoon about frequent "rabbit-like" sexual activity, for which he eventually apologized to Kylie Minogue after a game involving "date, marry, sleep with" choices. The current controversy has also drawn sharp criticism from Japan, with former Ambassador Shingo Yamagami penning an op-ed in "The Australian" newspaper, calling Albanese's "melon joke" a "vulgar sexual joke" that "betrayed the deep friendship" between the two nations and was an "insulting and thoughtless" remark towards Takaichi, particularly inappropriate given the deepening security and economic cooperation between Japan and Australia.

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the 'melon joke' was not only a vulgar sexual joke but also 'betrayed the deep friendship' between the two countries and was an 'insulting and thoughtless' remark towards Sanae Takaichi.