The government of Japan has officially designated the city of Kisarazu as the hometown for Nigerians willing to live and work in the country, in a new move aimed at strengthening cultural ties and workforce cooperation.
The announcement was made on Thursday, August 21, during the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9), according to a statement on Friday, August 22, by the Director of Information at the State House, Abiodun Oladunjoye.
As part of the initiative, Japan introduced a special visa category for highly skilled and talented young Nigerians seeking to relocate to Kisarazu. Artisans and other blue-collar workers will also benefit through dispensation visas that will allow them to work in Japan’s industrial and service sectors while upgrading their skills.
The programme is being facilitated by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) and also pairs three other African countries with Japanese cities:
- Tanzania with Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture
- Ghana with Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture
- Mozambique with Imabari in Ehime Prefecture
Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires and Acting Ambassador to Japan, Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, alongside Kisarazu Mayor Yoshikuni Watanabe, received a certificate from the Japanese government formally designating the city as Nigeria’s base in Japan.
Officials said the partnership is designed to strengthen people-to-people ties and foster manpower development to boost economic growth in both Japan and partner African nations. Local authorities in Kisarazu also expressed hope that the designation would help boost the city’s population and support regional revitalisation efforts.
Kisarazu already shares a history with Nigeria, having hosted the country’s Olympic contingent for pre-games training ahead of the Tokyo 2020 Olympics.
