Mrs Florence Adeseke, Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires and Acting Ambassador to Japan, Middle, receiving the certificate designating Kisarazu as Nigeria’s hometown from Yoshikuni Watanabe, the Mayor of Kisarazu.
By Mark Longyen
The government of Japan has designated four cities in the country as free settlement hometowns for intending migrants from four African countries: Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and Mozambique.
The new policy was announced by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency, JICA, at a ceremony, on Friday, during the ninth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9).
The decision is a strategic move to attract migrants from these countries to Japan and arrest the country’s rapidly declining population.
It is also considered as part of Japan’s strategic efforts to deepen cultural diplomacy, promote economic growth, and enhance workforce productivity.
Mrs Florence Adeseke, Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires, and Acting Ambassador to Japan, received the designation certificate from Yoshikuni Watanabe, the Mayor of Kisarazu,
Under this initiative, the city of Kisarazu is henceforth the hometown for Nigerians willing to live and work in the East Asian country.
By this, 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.
Artisans and other blue-collar workers from Nigeria who are ready to upskill will also benefit from the special dispensation visa to work in Japan.
The city of Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture is now the hometown of Tanzanians, while the city of Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture has become the hometown of Ghanaians.
Furthermore, Imabari City in Ehime Prefecture has become the hometown of Mozambicans.
Through this arrangement, Japan looks to strengthen exchanges with the four African countries by officially connecting municipalities with existing relations with those nations.
The four dedicated cities are intended to serve as 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.
Local authorities hope that the designations will increase the population of their cities, contributing to their regional revitalisation efforts.
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.
Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba, also announced 5.5 billion dollars investment in Africa during his opening address at the TICAD9.
He highlighted the importance of mutual understanding, local solutions, and collaborative efforts for Africa’s development.
Ishiba outlined his country’s focus on private sector-led sustainable growth, youth and women empowerment, and regional integration, while acknowledging the challenges of Japan’s ageing population.
The Prime Minister also emphasised that locally rooted solutions were essential for Africa’s development.
He appealed to African countries to assist Japan as it grappled with the challenges of a declining population and shrinking agricultural land.
“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 the TICAD 9, we focus on three important areas:
“Private sector-led sustainable growth, Youth and Women, and Regional integration and connectivity within and beyond Africa,” he said.
