Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is facing scrutiny over a joke about a gift he received from Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing The Guardian.
At the center of the controversy are Shizuoka Crown melons. According to fruit sellers, they have the sweetness of a watermelon, the snap of a honeydew, and the perfume of a peach.
Albanese maintains he has nothing to apologize for. However, his comments and hand gestures have sparked widespread public reaction. The fruit itself has received less attention. These melons are not only a prized delicacy but also part of a significant Japanese cultural practice.
Melbourne fruiterer Thanh Truong, also known as Fruit Nerd, notes that Japan has a culture of fruit gifting that does not exist in Australia. "We don't have a culture of spending money on fruit like they do in other parts of the world," Truong said. In Australia, fruits are understood as a "commodity" that should be priced accessibly for everyone. Shizuoka Crown melons are a luxury good, priced between $50 and $150 a piece.
These melons are a variety of the muskmelon family, whose other members include rockmelon and honeydew. They have become a prized gift in Japan due to the care involved in growing them. This process involves being hand-patted by growers to give the fruit an even shape and exterior pattern.
Truong said that for growers, "their attempt at perfection" is part of the fruit-gifting culture. There is also only one crown melon grown per vine, which gives them maximum nutrients and a higher sugar level. Truong describes the taste as: "The sweetest watermelon you've had, with the texture of a honeydew and the perfume of the strongest kind of rockmelon or peach."
In Japan, these efforts reflect the level of respect shown to the gift's recipient. The melon is also supposed to give the recipient health and wealth, Truong said. This is very different from gifting alcohol, which is more typical in Australia.
Graham Gee, a senior buyer at the Happy Apple in Melbourne, said that in Australia there is year-round access to honeydews, rockmelons, and other varieties of muskmelon. But in Japan, the melon market is "very seasonal," making it a "special occasion" when they do arrive.
The import of fresh melons from Japan into Australia was permitted at the beginning of this year, though melons from the Okinawa prefecture are still banned. But neither Gee nor Truong have yet to see them being sold locally.
"There is a beauty to it, and not everyone can appreciate it," Truong said.