The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has announced the cancellation of its “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative, citing widespread “misunderstandings and confusion” surrounding the programme.
The decision, published in a statement on JICA’s official website on Thursday, follows weeks of speculation that the scheme would create a special visa category for Nigerians and other Africans to relocate to Kisarazu, a city designated under the project.
On August 26, the Japanese government formally denied reports of such a visa plan, after Nigeria’s State House issued a statement claiming Japan would introduce a “special visa category” for highly skilled and innovative young Nigerians who wished to move to Kisarazu to live and work.
Clarifying its stance, JICA explained that the term “hometown” and the perception that it was “designating” Japanese municipalities in such a manner had caused confusion domestically.
“Originally, under this initiative, it was envisioned that exchange programs would be coordinated and implemented among Japanese local governments, relevant African countries, and JICA. The specific details were to be determined later,” the agency said.
“However, the very nature of the initiative—specifically the use of the term ‘hometown’ and the perception that JICA was ‘designating’ municipalities—led to misunderstandings within Japan and placed an excessive burden on the four cities involved. JICA sincerely apologises to the municipalities for creating such a situation.”
The initiative, launched during the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in August, aimed to promote cultural and educational exchanges between four Japanese municipalities and four African countries.
However, JICA stressed that it has never promoted immigration through its programmes and has “no plans to do so in the future.” Instead, it reaffirmed its commitment to supporting international cultural and developmental exchanges.
Confusion had deepened in August when Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires in Japan, Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, and Kisarazu’s Mayor, Yoshikuni Watanabe, publicly received a certificate naming Kisarazu the “hometown” of Nigerians, fuelling speculation about migration opportunities.
Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs later clarified that while the initiative was designed to foster exchanges, it did not involve immigration benefits or special visas.
