Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing pressure to apologise to his Japanese counterpart after a gesture he made about two melons she gifted him.

Albanese appeared on the Bush Deep podcast with Nikki Osborne and gestured to his chest when recalling the melons after Osborne asked how the fruit had been smuggled into the country.

Former Australian ambassador Shingo Yamagami recalled the incident earlier today and labelled it 'insulting'. 

Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Albanese has insisted this wasn't intended to be a crude joke directed at Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. 

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Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing pressure to apologise to his Japanese counterpart after a gesture he made about two melons she gifted him.
Albanese appeared on the Bush Deep podcast with Nikki Osborne and gestured to his chest when recalling the melons after Osborne asked how the fruit had been smuggled into the country.
Former Australian ambassador Shingo Yamagami recalled the incident earlier today and labelled it 'insulting'.&nbsp;
Australian correspondent Murray Olds says Albanese has insisted this wasn't intended to be a crude joke directed at Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.&nbsp;
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With a straight down the middle approach, Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive on Newstalk ZB delivers the very latest news and views to New Zealanders as they wrap up their day.

Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

Murray Olds: Australian correspondent on Prime Minister Anthony Albanese facing backlash over 'melon' comments

https://api.omny.fm/orgs/7784f840-c291-422a-924b-ad9000bbad71/clips/7587a87b-83e5-4b73-aee6-b4a50056c36f/transcript