Japan has denied creating a special visa for Nigerians under its new “JICA Africa Hometown” program, stressing the initiative is about cultural exchange, not migration.
Japan has dismissed claims that it plans to establish a special visa category for Nigerians seeking to relocate to Kisarazu, a city it recently designated as Nigeria’s “hometown” under a new cultural exchange program.
The clarification followed reports after the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, where the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) unveiled the “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative to promote ties between African nations and Japanese municipalities.
Under the scheme, four African countries were matched with four Japanese cities: Nigeria with Kisarazu, Tanzania with Nagai, Ghana with Sanjo, and Mozambique with Imabari.
Officials explained that the initiative focuses on cultural, educational, and developmental exchanges rather than migration opportunities. “There are no plans for any special visa arrangement connected to the program,” a government source clarified.
The project is expected to strengthen people-to-people connections, with Japan emphasizing that partnerships will remain within the framework of exchange and cooperation, not immigration.