The Government of Japan has debunked reports claiming it plans to introduce a special visa category for skilled Nigerians to live and work in Kisarazu, a Japanese city recently designated as Nigeria’s “hometown” under a cultural exchange initiative.
The clarification comes after reports circulated that Japan would create “a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians,” as well as opportunities for artisans and blue-collar workers willing to upskill. The claim stemmed from a statement issued on August 22 by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at the State House, and was widely reported by local and international media.
In a statement released on Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed the reports, stating:
“There are no plans to take measures to promote the acceptance of immigrants or issue special visas for residents of African countries.”
The ministry explained that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had merely launched the JICA Africa Hometown Program during the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama. The initiative is aimed at fostering cultural and developmental exchanges between four
Japanese cities and four African nations:
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Kisarazu with Nigeria
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Imabari with Mozambique
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Sanjo with Ghana
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Nagai with Tanzania
According to JICA, the program will focus on organizing exchange events and collaborative projects, including those involving JICA overseas cooperation volunteers, but does not include any immigration or visa concessions.
The ministry emphasized its commitment to ensuring accurate information dissemination, stating it “will continue to make efforts to prevent the spread of misinformation regarding this matter.”
