Japan has officially designated Kisarazu City as the “hometown” for Nigerians wishing to live and work in the country, part of a broader initiative to strengthen cultural ties and address labor shortages.
The announcement was made Thursday on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) and confirmed Friday by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at the State House.
Under the arrangement, Japan will introduce a special visa category targeting highly skilled and talented young Nigerians, as well as artisans and blue-collar workers willing to upskill.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also designated three other Japanese cities as hometowns for African countries: Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture for Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture for Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture for Mozambique.
Nigeria’s Acting Ambassador to Japan, Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, and Kisarazu Mayor Yoshikuni Watanabe received the official certificate from the Japanese government confirming the designation.
Officials said the initiative aims to promote manpower development, strengthen bilateral exchanges, and support regional revitalization by boosting local populations. Kisarazu had previously hosted Nigeria’s contingent during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics for pre-games training.
At TICAD9, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced $5.5 billion in new investments for Africa, highlighting Japan’s focus on private sector-led growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration. He also called for African cooperation as Japan faces challenges linked to an ageing population and declining agricultural land.
