The Japanese government has clarified that its newly launched “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative does not involve granting special visas or immigration privileges to Nigerians or citizens of other African nations.
In a statement released Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs dismissed circulating reports claiming that Nigerians relocating to Kisarazu city would receive a new visa category, stating such claims are “contrary to the facts.”
The ministry explained that during the ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) introduced the Africa Hometown Programme to foster stronger ties between African countries and Japanese local governments.
As part of the initiative, four Japanese cities have been paired with four African countries to promote cultural and developmental exchanges. Activities under the program will include hosting events and deploying JICA overseas cooperation volunteers to support community-based engagements.
