Japan has officially dismissed claims that it is creating a special visa category for Nigerians seeking to relocate to Kisarazu, a Japanese city recently designated as Nigeria’s “hometown” under a new exchange initiative.
The speculation emerged after the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), held last week in Yokohama. During the conference, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) launched the “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative, aimed at deepening connections between African countries and Japanese local governments.
As part of the programme, four African nations were paired with four Japanese cities:
Nigeria with Kisarazu
Tanzania with Nagai
Ghana with Sanjo
Mozambique with Imabari
Shortly after the announcement, a statement credited to Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at the Nigerian State House, claimed that Japan would establish a special visa pathway. According to the statement, the new category would allow highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians to relocate to Kisarazu to live and work. It further added that artisans and blue-collar workers willing to upgrade their skills would also benefit from this visa opportunity.
This news quickly gained traction, with both local and international outlets reporting it as a major development in Japan–Nigeria relations.
However, in a clarification issued on Monday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry denied the existence of such plans. The ministry emphasized that the JICA Africa Hometown programme is strictly an exchange initiative. Its focus will be on activities such as cultural exchanges, cooperation projects, and events involving JICA overseas cooperation volunteers, not immigration or special visa arrangements.
The ministry’s statement read:
There are no plans to take measures to promote the acceptance of immigrants or issue special visas for residents of African countries, and the series of reports and announcements concerning such measures are not true.
Japan also stressed its commitment to providing accurate and timely information regarding the programme in order to prevent future misunderstandings.
For now, Nigerians can expect collaborative exchanges with Kisarazu, but not any new visa opportunities tied to the initiative.
-Deeprows News
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