Japanese journalist Waka Ikeda has publicly condemned Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese for making a sexualised joke about Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.
The incident raises questions about the treatment of female world leaders and the perceived political bias within the Japanese press.
The controversy stems from a podcast interview in which Albanese made a "melon" joke regarding Prime Minister Takaichi [1, 2]. The remarks occurred around May 2024, coinciding with Takaichi's visit to Australia [3].
Ikeda said the joke was sexualised and highlighted a double standard in how female leaders are treated [2, 3]. During an interview with Chris Kenny on News24, Ikeda expressed surprise at the lack of coverage within her home country.
"Surprisingly, Japanese media has been pretty quiet; they only started reporting it a few days ago," Ikeda said [1].
Ikeda attributed this silence to the political leanings of the Japanese press. She said Japanese media is mostly left-leaning and has remained silent because they have not supported Takaichi [1].
According to Ikeda, the lack of reporting means that many Japanese citizens are unaware that the comments were ever made [1]. The journalist argued that the silence of the media reflects a failure to defend the dignity of a female leader based on her political affiliation [2].
Albanese's comments have drawn criticism for exposing a double standard for women in power [2]. While the incident took place in Australia, the fallout has become a point of contention for those monitoring the diplomatic relationship and the internal media landscape of Japan [3].
“"Surprisingly, Japanese media has been pretty quiet; they only started reporting it a few days ago."”
This friction highlights a intersection of diplomatic etiquette and domestic political polarization. By criticizing both the Australian Prime Minister and the Japanese media, Ikeda suggests that gender-based harassment of leaders is sometimes ignored by press outlets if the victim is a political opponent of the media's perceived ideological leaning.
