澳大利亚总理阿尔巴尼斯因在播客节目中涉及日本首相高市早苗赠送的皇冠瓜的评论引发外交争议，日本驻澳大使随后发表罕见声明为其辩护。[1]日本驻澳大使铃木和宏周三下午表示："我们注意到媒体的相关报道。澳大利亚方面已告知我们，阿尔巴尼斯总理的言论并未按报道的方式做出。"[1]
该事件在澳大利亚国内引发了政治反响。日本前驻澳大使山上真五周一在《澳大利亚人报》撰文，称相关手势"令人不适"。[1]反对党联盟党领袖安格斯·泰勒批评阿尔巴尼斯的行为"令人震惊"，[1]一国党领袖保琳·汉森则称其评论"令人厌恶"。[1]两党领导人联合要求总理为此道歉，但阿尔巴尼斯拒绝了这一要求。[1]
7月13日，日本向堪培拉发送外交照会，表示将不采取任何进一步行动。[1]
Japan's ambassador to Australia moved to quash a diplomatic flap on Wednesday, issuing a rare statement in support of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese following controversy over comments he made regarding a crown melon gifted by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takada during a podcast appearance on July 3rd [1]. Ambassador Kazuhiro Suzuki declared that "We are aware of the reporting in the media. We have been informed by the Australian side that prime minister Albanese did not make the comments in the way that has been reported" [1].
The intervention came as Australia's opposition intensified pressure on Albanese to apologize for his remarks [1]. Opposition Leader Angus Taylor criticized the Prime Minister's conduct as "appalling behaviour," while One Nation leader Pauline Hanson denounced the comments as "disgusting" [1]. On July 13th, Japan formally transmitted a diplomatic note to Canberra indicating that "no action" would be taken [1]. The controversy had earlier been inflamed by a column in The Australian from former Japanese ambassador Shingo Yamagami, who characterized a gesture connected to the incident as "insulting" [1].