JUST IN: Japan scraps Africa ‘hometown’ initiative after Nigeria’s ‘special visas’ claim
JUST IN: Japan scraps Africa ‘hometown’ initiative after Nigeria’s ‘special visas’ claim
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has scrapped the ‘JICA Africa Hometown’ initiative over “misunderstandings and confusion”.
Tanaka Akihiko, JICA president, announced the project’s termination during a press briefing on Thursday.
On August 26, Japan denied planning to create a special visa category for Nigerians who wish to relocate to Kisarazu, a city it had designated as “hometown” for Nigeria.
The rebuttal followed a statement signed by Abiodun Oladunjoye, director of information at the State House in Nigeria, who had 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”.
In its recent statement, JICA said “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”.
More to follow…
