Japan cancels ‘Africa Hometown’ project after visa mix-up with Nigeria
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has scrapped its “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative, citing widespread “misunderstandings and confusion” over the programme. The decision, announced in a statement on JICA’s website Thursday, comes weeks after claims circulated that Japan would create a special visa category for young Nigerians wishing to relocate to Kisarazu, a Japanese city designated as a “hometown” under the scheme. On August 26, the Nigerian presidency issued a statement saying Japan planned to introduce a visa route for highly skilled and innovative Nigerians to live and work in Kisarazu. The Japanese government quickly denied the report, stressing that the programme was never immigration-related. Clarifying its position, JICA said the terminology used—particularly the designation of Japanese municipalities as “hometowns”—sparked confusion and placed “an excessive burden” on the four host municipalities. The agency explained: “Originally, under this initiative, it was […]
