The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has cancelled its “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative, citing “misunderstandings and confusion” surrounding the program.
The announcement, made on Thursday via the agency’s official website, comes weeks after reports on August 26 suggested Japan would create a special visa category for Nigerians and other Africans to relocate to Kisarazu, one of the Japanese cities linked to the initiative.
The Japanese government swiftly denied those claims, insisting there were no plans to introduce such visas. The reports had been fueled by a statement attributed to Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at the State House, which implied that Japan was preparing a pathway for young, skilled Nigerians to live and work in Kisarazu.
JICA explained that the use of the term “hometown” and the idea of “designating” Japanese municipalities as African hometowns created confusion domestically, leading to undue pressure on the four municipalities originally involved in the scheme.
