Japan names Kisarazu as hometown for Nigerians in workforce exchange programme

By Kunle Sanni –

Japan has designated the city of Kisarazu as a “hometown” for Nigerians seeking to live and work in the country, in a move aimed at strengthening cultural and economic ties.

The announcement was made on Thursday on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), as part of Japan’s broader plan to deepen cooperation with African nations.

Under the arrangement, a special visa category will be created for highly skilled young Nigerians, as well as artisans and blue-collar workers willing to upgrade their skills, to live and work in Kisarazu.

At a ceremony in Tokyo, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) also named three other Japanese cities as African “hometowns”: Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture for Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture for Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture for Mozambique.

Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires and Acting Ambassador to Japan, Mrs. Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, joined Kisarazu Mayor Yoshikuni Watanabe in receiving the certificate formalizing the designation.

The initiative aims to promote two-way manpower exchange programmes to boost economic growth in Japan, Nigeria and the other three African countries, while helping Japanese municipalities tackle declining populations and regional revitalization challenges.

Kisarazu previously hosted Nigeria’s contingent for the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, serving as the team’s pre-Games training base.

In his address at TICAD9, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced $5.5 billion in new investments in Africa, emphasizing private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration. He also urged African nations to partner with Japan as it addresses an ageing population and shrinking agricultural land.