Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has met Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi in person for the first time since the controversy dubbed “melon-gate”.
The dispute began in July, when Albanese spoke about a gift of premium Shizuoka crown melons from Takaichi during an appearance on comedian Nikki Osborne’s Bush Deep podcast.
After Osborne joked that Takaichi had arrived looking like Pamela Anderson because she had brought “two melons”, Albanese gestured towards his chest and responded: “She brought two, and they are beautiful.”
The exchange quickly triggered a political backlash, as critics accused the Australian leader of making an inappropriate reference to his Japanese counterpart.
Albanese refused to apologise, saying he had not made an offensive comment about Takaichi and pointing out that Osborne had introduced the joke.
The Prime Minister’s office likewise maintained that his hand movements had been misunderstood, while officials in Tokyo appeared keen to prevent the issue from escalating.
Japan’s ambassador to Australia, Kazuhiro Suzuki, said Australian officials had assured Tokyo that Albanese “did not make the comments in the way that has been reported”.
The earlier tension was not apparent when Albanese and Takaichi held talks on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, marking their first face-to-face encounter since the controversy.
Anthony Albanese (left) met with Japanese PM Sanae Takaichi (right) on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York
Their meeting took place as Takaichi delivered a forceful warning about the direction of global affairs, telling the General Assembly that international institutions created after World War II were struggling to address today’s challenges.
“The stable post-Cold War era is now a thing of the past,” she told delegates.
She directed some of her sharpest remarks at the United Nations Security Council, saying it was “not functioning for international peace” and remained shaped by “the international situation as it stood in 1945”.
Takaichi urged immediate reform, calling for the council to be expanded with additional permanent and non-permanent members to bring its structure closer to the realities of the modern world.
Her comments came as Albanese began Australia’s campaign for a highly sought-after non-permanent seat on the Security Council for the 2029-30 term.
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Japan’s call for change follows mounting criticism from countries that believe the council has failed to respond effectively to some of the world’s most serious crises.
Takaichi was especially critical of Russia’s use of its veto on issues connected to the war in Ukraine.
Australia is campaigning for one of the council’s rotating positions, with Albanese arguing that global security should be “governed by rules, not by power and force alone”. He has also pledged to use the United Nations to advance conflict prevention, climate security and international standards for emerging technologies.
The leaders met for the first time following Albanese’s “melon-gate” controversy
Albanese is scheduled to address the United Nations later this week.
Almost 130 world leaders are attending the high-level gathering, prompting the US Secret Service, NYPD and other agencies to coordinate one of the largest security operations of the year.
Adding to the disruption, police responded to a suspicious package at East 43rd Street and Third Avenue, just blocks from the UN headquarters.
The incident sparked building evacuations and road closures, with authorities shutting 42nd Street through 44th Street between Second and Lexington Avenues.
The Macquarie Bank event where Albanese had spoke earlier was about 1.5 kilometres away.
The NYPD initially urged the public to steer clear of the area.
‘Due to police activity, please avoid the area around 43rd Street and 3rd Avenue. Expect road closures and delays,’ the department posted.
Police later expanded the exclusion zone, stating: ‘Due to a suspicious package, 42nd Street through 44th Street is closed between 2nd Avenue and Lexington Avenue. Please avoid the area.’
It is understood officers were investigating an unattended suitcase. Specialist units were deployed while nearby buildings were cleared and streets were cordoned off.
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