The Japanese government on Thursday designated the city of Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture as the official hometown for Nigerians willing to live and work in the country, in a landmark move to boost cultural diplomacy, deepen economic ties, and address workforce shortages.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), where Japan also unveiled new partnership frameworks with three other African nations. Under the arrangement, Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture was named the hometown of Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture for Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture for Mozambique.
As part of the Nigeria–Kisarazu partnership, Tokyo will create a special visa category for highly skilled young Nigerians, including artisans and blue-collar workers willing to upskill, to live and work in the city. The initiative, facilitated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to strengthen people-to-people exchanges while supporting Japan’s regional revitalisation efforts.
Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires and Acting Ambassador to Japan, Mrs. Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, and Kisarazu Mayor Yoshikuni Watanabe jointly received the official certificate naming the city as Nigeria’s new hometown in Japan.
Kisarazu, which hosted Nigeria’s contingent during the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, is expected to serve as a hub for manpower development, with authorities optimistic that the designation will also help tackle Japan’s declining population while fostering mutual economic growth.
In his opening address at TICAD9, Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced $5.5 billion in new investments in Africa, stressing the need for “co-creation” between Japan and the continent. He outlined three priority areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, empowerment of youth and women, and stronger regional integration.
“Japan is providing various cooperation and support for Africa. But first of all, Japan needs to know more about Africa,” Ishiba said, appealing to African partners to support Japan as it confronts the twin challenges of an ageing population and shrinking farmland.
