Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has rejected calls to apologize to Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi over crude remarks made during a podcast about a gift of premium Japanese melons, saying he rejects the suggestion that his comments were disrespectful.
The controversy erupted during a July appearance on the Bush Deep podcast, hosted by comedian Nikki Osborne, where Albanese discussed an unusual gift he received from Takaichi during her visit to Australia in May.
Opposition Leader Angus Taylor on Tuesday demanded that Albanese personally apologize to Takaichi, describing the remarks as insulting and beneath the office of prime minister.
But Albanese dismissed the criticism during parliamentary question time.
“I reject the assertion in the question,” he said when asked whether he would apologize for what opposition lawmakers described as disrespectful behavior.
