When Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi visited Australia in May, she brought her host a gift chosen with diplomatic care: Crown Melons from Shizuoka, the most prized fruit in Japan, to mark Australia¡¯s decision in January to reopen its market to Japanese melons. In Japan, a single Crown Melon can cost more than a fine bottle of wine. Its perfection, based on the Japanese artisan spirit of takumi, is what you bring when you wish to honor someone.
Two months later, on a podcast called ¡°Bush Deep,¡± Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese recalled the gift as ¡°strange¡± but ultimately quite good. His host, the comedian Nikki Osborne, likened the melons to actress Pamela Anderson. Albanese then grinned, raised his hands to chest height in a cupping gesture and said, ¡°She brought two. As you do.¡± The studio laughed. The clip traveled around the world.
Consider who was being laughed at. Takaichi is the first female prime minister in Japanese history, and she leads a country locked in its most dangerous confrontation with China in decades. After she told the Diet last November that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could threaten Japan¡¯s survival, a Chinese consul general posted, in a message since deleted, about cutting off her?¡°dirty neck.¡± Each of Beijing¡¯s military theater commands issued statements denouncing her. This is the leader of Australia¡¯s closest security partner in Asia, and her state gift became a breast joke on a crude podcast.
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