Japan Denies Creating Special Visa for Nigerians to Relocate to Kisarazu
The Japanese government has refuted reports that it intends to establish a special visa category for Nigerians wishing to relocate to Kisarazu, a city recently linked to Nigeria under a new cultural exchange initiative.
At the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), held last week in Yokohama, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) unveiled the “JICA Africa Hometown” programme. The initiative pairs African countries with Japanese cities to deepen bilateral ties: Nigeria with Kisarazu, Tanzania with Nagai, Ghana with Sanjo, and Mozambique with Imabari.
Shortly after the announcement, a statement attributed to Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at the State House, suggested that Japan planned to introduce “a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who want to move to Kisarazu to live and work.” The statement further claimed that Nigerian artisans and blue-collar workers “ready to upskill” would also benefit from the supposed visa arrangement. The claim quickly circulated across local and international media.
However, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in a statement released Monday, firmly denied the reports. It clarified that the “JICA Africa Hometown” programme is designed strictly for cultural and developmental exchange, such as hosting events and supporting JICA overseas cooperation volunteers, and does not involve migration or employment visas.
“On the other hand, there are no plans to take measures to promote the acceptance of immigrants or issue special visas for residents of African countries, and the series of reports and announcements concerning such measures are not true,” the ministry stated.
Japan reiterated that official updates regarding the initiative will only be shared through authorized communication channels.
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