Japanese officials surprised over leaked Sanae Takaichi correspondence with Anthony Albanese amid melon row

Japanese officials have expressed surprise after correspondence between their Prime Minister’s office and Anthony Albanese about his controversial podcast comments was leaked in Australia.

Mr Albanese is facing growing calls to apologise to his Japanese counterpart Sanae Takaichi following jokes he made about the female leader’s melons, a reference to an official gift she brought to Australia earlier this year.

During his now infamous appearance on the Deep Bush podcast, the Prime Minister said he would “shag” popstar Kylie Minogue and joined in on jokes about Ms Takaichi “smuggling” two prized Crown melons into the country.

On Monday evening reports emerged of a diplomatic cable dated July 13, sent by the Japanese government, which “noted” the “sensationalised reporting in the Australian media” about Mr Albanese’s comments in an interview with podcaster Nikki Osborne.

The diplomatic note, reportedly sent to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet in Canberra, stated that Tokyo’s belief was that there was no “ill intention” in Mr Albanese’s appearance on the podcast.

According to The Australian there was also an undertaking to take “no action” over the incident and that no public response from Japan would assist the Albanese government because it would “allow the Australian media to move on”.

A separate report by Seven News quoted a letter from the Japanese Prime Minister sent to Mr Albanese expressing “heartfelt gratitude for Australia’s propound friendship” following a recent earthquake.

“We should continue to work closely together as leaders to further strengthen and deepen this bond,” Ms Takaichi reportedly stated in her formal correspondence sent last week.

A senior Japanese official, speaking on the condition of anonymity given the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed to The Nightly that they were “surprised” that the letter had emerged publicly in Australia.

The Nightly has repeatedly approached the Prime Minister’s office for comment on the growing scandal, and the emergence of leaked Japanese government correspondence, but has not received a response.

Before the Albanese government was elected, senior Labor figures were scathing of former prime minister Scott Morrison after private text messages sent to him by French President Emmanuel Macron were leaked in 2021.

The texts, published just days after President Macron called Mr Morrison a liar, were meant to show the French leader knew the Australian government had intended to cancel the submarines deal between the countries in favour of AUKUS.

During a Senate estimates hearing in February 2022, Labor frontbencher Katy Gallagher pursued the Morrison government over the leaked texts, with Australian Federal Police and departmental officials confirming no investigation had been launched.

“Somehow without the government knowing this private message lands in the Daily Telegraph two days after the PM is called a liar by the French president, and you don’t have an answer for how that happened?” Senator Gallagher said at the time.