Key facts
- Japan's ambassador to Australia, Kazuhiro Suzuki, stated Tokyo has been reassured by the Australian government regarding Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's comments about a gift of melons.
- The comments, made on the "Bush Deep" podcast, were reportedly sensationalised by Australian media.
- The opposition Coalition continued to raise concerns, with Angus Taylor claiming Albanese had "stuffed up".
- Senior opposition figures Ted O’Brien and James Paterson called for an investigation into the alleged leaking of a diplomatic cable.
- Albanese maintained he had nothing to apologize for and stated the AFP is independent.
Japan's ambassador to Australia, Kazuhiro Suzuki, has downplayed comments made by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese regarding a gift of melons, stating that Tokyo has been reassured by the Australian government that the remarks were not reported accurately. The "melon-gate" saga continued to dominate Australian federal politics, with the opposition Coalition demanding an apology from Albanese and calling for an investigation into the alleged leaking of a diplomatic cable to a newspaper.
Albanese, speaking in parliament, maintained he had nothing to apologize for and emphasized the importance of Australia's relationship with Japan. He noted that Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida is a good friend of Australia. The comments in question were made during an interview on the comedy podcast "Bush Deep" in July, where Albanese discussed receiving melons from Japanese official Sanae Takaichi.
The opposition, led by Angus Taylor, claimed Albanese had "stuffed up" and that senior ministers Ted O’Brien and James Paterson sought an Australian Federal Police investigation into the leak of the diplomatic cable. The cable, reportedly sent in July, suggested Japan believed there was no "ill intention" in Albanese's actions and noted "sensationalised reporting in the Australian media."
Labor ministers defended Albanese, with Housing Minister Clare O’Neil calling the AFP referral a "silly political stunt" and Education Minister Jason Clare dismissing the opposition's concerns as "rubbish." Albanese himself stated that the AFP is an independent body and would investigate as it saw fit.
Suzuki's statement on Wednesday marked Japan's first public comment on the issue, indicating that the government did not wish to escalate it into a diplomatic incident. He also noted a prior meeting between Albanese and Kishida had fostered a "relaxed atmosphere" and built "personal trust."