Tinubu Govt Backtracks as Japan Denies ‘Special Visa’ for Nigerians

The Nigerian government under President Bola Tinubu has retracted its earlier statement claiming that Japan would create a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians seeking to live and work in Kisarazu.

In a statement signed on Wednesday by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at the State House, it was clarified that the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) only designated Kisarazu as the hometown for Nigeria, with no mention of introducing a special visa category for Nigerians.

The statement reads, “Correction: JICA Designates City of Kisarazu as Hometown for Nigeria.

“The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) on Thursday, August 21, named the city of Kisarazu as the Hometown for Nigeria under its newly announced initiative “JICA Africa Hometown,” as part of its efforts to deepen cultural ties between the two countries.

“JICA, in a ceremony announced on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), also named the cities of Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture the Hometown of Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture the Hometown of Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture the Hometown of Mozambique.

“JICA aims to further strengthen existing relationships with the four African countries by connecting municipalities with those nations.

“Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires, Mrs. Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, also the Acting Ambassador to Japan, and Mr. Watanabe Yoshikuni, the Mayor of Kisarazu, received the certificate from JICA naming Kisarazu the Hometown of Nigeria.

“Kisarazu was the official host town of the Nigerian contingent for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. The team conducted their pre-games training camps and acclimatisation in the city before moving to the Olympic village, in the COVID-19 delayed Olympic Games.”

The Nigerian government had earlier claimed that Japan had designated Kisarazu as a hometown for Nigerians seeking residency and work opportunities.

In a statement released on Friday and co-signed by Abiodun Oladunjoye, the government stated: “The government of Japan on Thursday named the city of Kisarazu as the hometown for Nigerians willing to live and work in the country as part of its strategic efforts to deepen cultural diplomacy, promote economic growth, and enhance workforce productivity.

“Under this new partnership, announced on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development, the Japanese government will create a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who want to move to Kisarazu to live and work.”

Japan, however, denied on Tuesday any plan to introduce special visas under the Japan International Cooperation Agency’s (JICA) “Africa Hometown” initiative and requested Nigeria to retract its earlier statement claiming such a decision was made at TICAD 9.