By Ghazali Ibrahim
The Japanese government has scrapped a friendship exchange programme with African nations following widespread misinformation and public fears that it would open the country’s doors to mass immigration.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) President, Tanaka Akihiko, announced the termination of the “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative during a press briefing on Thursday.
The programme, unveiled on August 22 during the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), aimed to promote cultural and economic exchanges by pairing four Japanese cities with four African countries.
Nigeria had been assigned Kisarazu city, with early reports suggesting that Japan would create a “special visa category” for highly skilled Nigerians wishing to live and work there.
Similar misinformation spread in Tanzania, where some local media claimed Nagai city would effectively become part of the East African nation.
Japan swiftly denied the reports, clarifying that the initiative was never intended to issue special visas or encourage immigration. In a statement, JICA stressed:
“There are no plans to promote the acceptance of immigrants or issue special visas for residents of African countries. The reports and announcements concerning such measures are not true.”
Despite the clarification, discontent grew in Japan. Viral social media posts warned of overstretched resources, safety concerns, and fears that African migrants might overstay their visas. Protests were later organised, demanding the cancellation of the agreement.
Faced with mounting opposition, JICA said it had to take public sentiment into account:
“It takes this situation seriously. After consulting with all parties involved, JICA has decided to withdraw the ‘JICA Africa Hometown’ initiative.”
The agency, however, maintained that it remains committed to fostering international cooperation.
“We have never undertaken initiatives to promote immigration and have no plans to do so in the future. Nonetheless, JICA intends to continue supporting efforts that promote global exchanges.”
The cancellation is a setback for Japan’s diplomatic outreach to Africa, which has grown in recent years as Tokyo seeks deeper economic and cultural ties with the continent.
