Japan Designates Kisarazu as Official Hometown for Nigerians to Deepen Cultural & Economic Ties

For Nigerians looking to live and work in Japan, there’s a new development: the Japanese government has named Kisarazu, a city in Chiba Prefecture, as their official hometown.

The announcement was made during the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9), where Japan also rolled out a brand-new visa category for young, skilled, and innovative Nigerians hoping to relocate. Artisans and other workers ready to upskill will also benefit from the special visa dispensation, making this a truly inclusive arrangement.

At the official ceremony hosted by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires, Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, who is also the Acting Ambassador to Japan, and Yoshikuni Watanabe, Mayor of Kisarazu, received the certificate confirming the designation.

Japan’s move comes as part of a wider initiative. Alongside Kisarazu, Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture was named the hometown for Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture for Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture for Mozambique. The goal is to strengthen cultural exchanges, deepen workforce collaboration, and revitalise regional cities.

“The four cities will foster 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,” the statement said.

Kisarazu is not new to Nigerians. The city played host to Team Nigeria during the delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics, when athletes trained and acclimatised there before heading into the Games. With this new recognition, those earlier ties are now becoming a long-term connection.

During TICAD9, Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba announced a $5.5 billion investment in Africa while stressing the need for co-creation and mutual understanding. “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 TICAD9, 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.