Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi gifted Anthony Albanese two crown melons during a May visit to Australia and he referenced it on the Bush Deep podcast in July.
"She brought two and they're beautiful," he said while making a gesture with both hands in front of his chest.
Mr Albanese rejected repeated calls to apologise for the comments in parliament in the past week, but the saga over the melons continued with the upper house debating his podcast actions on Monday.
"Those vile, crude, and disgusting remarks were sexist or disrespectful," Liberal senator Michaelia Cash said, who brought on the debate.
"They were bad choices and they were grubby choices".
There was 25 votes favouring the motion from the Liberals, One Nation and independent senator David Pocock, calling out the podcast comments.
Labor senators voted against and lost the motion with 23 votes.
However, the debate will not lead to any repercussions for the prime minister.
Mr Albanese had defended his appearance on the podcast in recent days, denying the hand gestures were sexist.
"When I give interviews, anyone who has sat down with me ... will see that I don't do them with my arms crossed," he told reporters on Friday in Canberra.
Coverage of the podcast comments has been of less significance in Tokyo, however the media frenzy did prompt its government to issue Canberra a letter.
It said the interview was subject to ''sensationalised reporting in the Australian media'' and no action would be taken by the Japanese government.
However the Liberal Party hasn't given up on pressing the matter.
The Japanese government's letter was leaked to several media outlets in Australia, prompting Liberal senator James Patterson to refer the matter to the Australian Federal Police.
Mr Albanese dismissed the police's involvement as yet another political stunt.
8°C