Kisarazu Mayor Addresses Misinformation About "JICA Africa Hometown" Project

The mayor of Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture made a public statement on August 25 to address false claims circulating online about the "JICA Africa Hometown" project. This initiative was designed to enhance friendship and cooperation between Japan and several African countries. However, inaccurate media reports from Africa and misunderstandings in translations sparked protests online, primarily centered on fears of an impending "flood of immigrants" due to the project, prompting intervention from the Foreign Ministry.

Errors in the information spread quickly, leading to confusion among the public. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which is actively involved in the initiative, vigorously denied that the program would include immigration as a significant component. The project, launched during the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) in Yokohama, aims to forge partnerships between Japanese municipalities and various African nations, involving staff exchanges and collaborative events to foster international relations.

As part of the initiative, Kisarazu was paired with Nigeria, while other Japanese cities were linked with Mozambique, Ghana, and Tanzania. Each pairing is intended to enhance the connections already formed between these local governments and their African counterparts. JICA clarified that the initiative is focused solely on strengthening these bilateral relationships and does not involve immigration initiatives, contrary to what was misrepresented online.

Despite these reassurances, social media was abuzz with concerns about the project leading to an uncontrolled rise in immigrants arriving in Japan. Various mayors from the cities involved have subsequently issued statements reinforcing that no plans exist to accept migrants associated with the project. Kisarazu's mayor explained that the city’s designation is rooted in its previous role as a host town for Nigeria during the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, emphasizing that this does not mean they would begin accepting Nigerian migrants.

Officials from the other partnered cities shared similar sentiments, dismissing claims that their municipalities would accommodate immigrants from their designated African counterpart nations. They expressed regret over the inaccurate reports shaping public opinion and urged residents to avoid sharing such misleading information. This situation prompted the Japanese Foreign Ministry to seek corrections from the Nigerian government regarding misleading statements made about the project's purpose, highlighting the need for clear and accurate communication regarding international partnerships and exchanges.