#takaichi — Public Fediverse posts

Well. The writer #DavidArmstrong is correct, that didn’t make any waves in the press here in Australia (not a good thing IMO). So why not? The Kylie thing was big, very big, so much so that #AlboPM apologised for it. Yet:

“When Anthony Albanese confessed in a podcast he would like to spend some very private time with Kylie Minogue, the public and political reaction was a swift, strong negative. Albanese apologised.

But in the same podcast, looking to please his host, comedian Nikki Osborne, Albanese made a joke at the expense of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

He recalled that when Takaichi visited Australia in May, she had brought melons as a gift. Osborne made a crack about Pamela Anderson and Albanese grinned, cupped his hands in front of his chest, and said: “She brought two. As you do.”

Albanese mocked the first female prime minister in Japanese history and leader of Australia’s closest security partner in Asia. He did not apologise.

The disparity struck Japanese journalist and academic Waka Ikeda. “An Australian pop star’s dignity commanded a national conversation; a Japanese prime minister’s didn’t,” Ikeda said.

Takaichi’s gift, she said in a column in The Japan Times, had been chosen with diplomatic care – Crown Melons from Shizuoka (the Mount Fuji region), the most prized fruit in Japan.

“In Japan, a single Crown Melon can cost more than a fine bottle of wine,” she said. “Its perfection, based on the Japanese artisan spirit of takumi, is what you bring when you wish to honour someone.”

Ikeda said that what happened after the podcast was the real story – because almost nothing happened. Albanese had never spoken about the Takaichi joke; the Minister for Women, Katy Gallagher, had remained silent, and then-Victorian premier Jacinta Allan had brushed it aside as lighthearted.

Ikeda recalled that when Allan had been called a witch, Albanese had said it was “completely unacceptable to demean, objectify, belittle or offend women”.

Japan had also declined to comment. “Japan needs Australia on trade and security,” Ikeda said. “[T]he first female prime minister, fighting Beijing, cannot afford a quarrel over her own chest.

“[Takaichi’s] dignity was weighted against the alliance and found lighter.” (Source: https://johnmenadue.com/post/2026/08/instagram-generations-win-japans-security-drive-and-albos-undiplomatic-insult-asian-media-report/ )

Not only is our PM a political lightweight in the eyes of this tooter (for his lack of gumption on progressive legislation), but he is showing himself to be quite disrespectful of women generally. Not the kind of ‘man’ I wish to represent me, not in the least.

R.E.S.P.E.C.T. Please….

##AusPol #Takaichi #Japan #ForeignAffairs #WomensAgenda
#Misoginy

#Takaichi wins #LDP run-off vote to be likely next PM of #Japan

A fmr internal affairs minister with an expansionary economic agenda, #SanaeTakaichi is set to become Japan's 1st #female prime minister after the 64-yr-old was elected as the #LiberalDemocraticParty head Saturday.

Takaichi, the only #woman among the 5 LDP candidates, beat a challenge from the more moderate Koizumi, 44, who was bidding to become the country's youngest leader in the modern era.

#geopolitics
https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/japan-ldp-election-live-five-candidates-vying-become-next-pm-2025-10-04/?utm_source=braze&utm_medium=notifications&utm_campaign=2025_engagement