The Japanese government has officially designated the city of Kisarazu as the ‘hometown’ for Nigerians willing to live and work in Japan, in a bid to deepen cultural diplomacy, promote economic growth, and enhance workforce productivity.
The announcement was made on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9), where Japan also introduced a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians seeking to relocate to Kisarazu for employment opportunities. Artisans and other blue-collar workers from Nigeria who are willing to upskill will also benefit from this special dispensation visa.
During a ceremony held by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Kisarazu joined other Japanese municipalities in being named official ‘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 Charge d’Affaires, Mrs Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, who is also the Acting Ambassador to Japan, and Yoshikuni Watanabe, Mayor of Kisarazu, received the certificate from the Japanese government officially recognising Kisarazu as the Nigerian hometown.
“The four cities will foster a foundation for two-way exchanges for manpower development that will add value to the economic growth of Japan, Nigeria, and the other three African nations,” the statement said. Local authorities hope that these designations will increase the population of their cities, contributing to regional revitalisation efforts.
Kisarazu has a history of hosting Nigerians, having served as the official host town for the Nigerian contingent at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The team conducted pre-games training camps and acclimatisation in the city before moving to the Olympic Village, in the COVID-19-delayed Games.
At TICAD9, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced $5.5 billion in new investment in Africa and highlighted the importance of mutual understanding, local solutions, and collaborative efforts for the continent’s development. He stressed Japan’s focus on private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration.
“Japan is providing various cooperation and support for Africa. But first of all, Japan needs to know more about Africa. So, in creating solutions together, this co-creation at TICAD9, we focus on three important areas: private sector-led sustainable growth, Youth and Women, and Regional integration and connectivity within and beyond Africa,” Prime Minister Ishiba said.
Acknowledging the challenges posed by Japan’s ageing population, the Prime Minister called on African nations to support Japan as it grapples with a declining population and shrinking agricultural land, while emphasising the importance of locally rooted solutions for Africa’s development.
Boluwatife Enome
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