“There Are No Plans for Special Visas for Nigerians” – Japan Denies State House Claim

Japan has denied reports suggesting it would create a special visa category for Nigerians wishing to relocate to Kisarazu, recently designated as Nigeria’s “hometown” under a new cultural exchange initiative.

The clarification comes after Nigeria’s State House claimed that Japan would offer visas to highly skilled Nigerians and artisans seeking to live and work in Kisarazu. The statement, dated August 22, received widespread local and international attention.

At the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) launched the ‘JICA Africa Hometown’ program to strengthen ties between African countries and Japanese cities. Kisarazu was paired with Nigeria, Nagai with Tanzania, Sanjo with Ghana, and Imabari with Mozambique.

The Japanese foreign ministry emphasized that the program focuses solely on cultural and educational exchanges, including events involving JICA overseas cooperation volunteers. It stated that reports of special visas or immigration measures were false and pledged to continue providing accurate information.