Aug 11, 2026 – 6.15pmAnthony Albanese is refusing to address the controversy concerning his comments about the Japanese prime minister and her “melons”, claiming instead that relations between Canberra and Tokyo have never been stronger and Sanae Takaichi was a “friend of mine”.As the prime minister sidestepped questions in parliament, newly released details of correspondence from the Japanese government saying it was unperturbed by Albanese’s podcast comments appeared to contradict a previous pledge he made to keep intergovernmental communications confidential.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles