Japan’s primary aid body, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), has announced the cancellation of a cultural exchange initiative with African nations, citing widespread confusion and public pressure over false immigration claims.
The initiative, known as the “JICA Africa Hometown” program, was designed to foster cultural and social exchange, as well as job training, between four Japanese regional cities and four African countries.
The agency stressed that the program was purely an exchange scheme and did not include any provision for immigration or special visa categories.
Despite official assurances and repeated denials by the Japanese government, the program’s announcement triggered an intense public backlash. False claims circulated widely, particularly on social media, asserting that the initiative was a secret policy designed to facilitate a flood of African migrants into the participating Japanese cities.
The anxiety was aggravated by a mistaken public announcement from the Nigerian government regarding the creation of a “special visa category.”
A statement signed by Abiodun Oladunjoye, director of information at the State House in Nigeria, who relayed that the Japanese government would create “a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who want to move to Kisarazu to live and work”.
Addressing the media, JICA President Akihiko Tanaka said “JICA believes that the very nature of this initiative—namely, the term “hometown” and the fact that JICA would ‘designate’ Japanese local Governments as “hometowns”—led to misunderstandings and confusion within Japan, placing an excessive burden on the four municipalities.”
“JICA sincerely apologizes to the municipalities involved for causing such situation. JICA takes this situation seriously. After consulting with all parties involved, JICA has decided to withdraw the “JICA Africa Hometown” initiative.”
The cancellation comes amid rising anti-immigration sentiment in Japan, a country with one of the most stringent immigration policies among developed nations, even as its shrinking and ageing population increasingly necessitates foreign labor.
JICA officials confirmed they will continue to pursue other international exchange programs, including those with Africa, while re-emphasising that JICA’s mandate does not involve immigration policy.
