Anthony Albanese: "pretty strange that ended up being quite good"

Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing renewed criticism over remarks he made last month about a gift from Japan’s leader. During a podcast, Albanese discussed two crown melons given to him by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi during her May visit to Australia, describing the gesture as unusual but the fruit as enjoyable. He accompanied the comments with hand movements near his chest, which some interpreted as a crude reference to breasts. Former Japanese ambassador Shingo Yamagami wrote an opinion piece accusing Albanese of ignoring the melons’ cultural significance and mocking Takaichi, Japan’s first female prime minister. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor urged Albanese to personally apologize, while Labor’s Tanya Plibersek defended him, calling Yamagami’s interpretation wrong.