Japan has cancelled its “Africa Hometown” initiative, a programme designed to promote cultural exchanges between Japanese regional cities and four African nations — Nigeria, Ghana, Mozambique, and Tanzania — citing widespread misinterpretations and disinformation.
The plan, unveiled in August during President Bola Tinubu’s visit to Japan, aimed to connect Japanese municipalities with African countries for grassroots cultural exchange. Under the arrangement, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) had paired Kisarazu with Nigeria, Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture with Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture with Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture with Mozambique.
However, the initiative sparked public fears of mass immigration, triggering resistance across Japan. Despite clarifications from both the Nigerian government and Japanese authorities, concerns persisted, forcing the project’s suspension. According to JICA President Dr. Akihiko Tanaka, the uproar placed “an excessive burden on local governments,” with one city reportedly receiving up to 200 phone complaints daily.
The controversy intensified amid growing anti-immigration sentiment, just weeks after the Sanseito party — known for its hardline stance on foreign nationals — gained momentum in Japan’s upper house elections. Even SpaceX CEO Elon Musk weighed in on social media, amplifying misinformation that Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba planned to bring in “millions of Africans and Kurds.”
Bloomberg reported that the initiative was officially abandoned less than a month after its announcement. Immigrants currently make up only about three per cent of Japan’s population, but the issue has become a flashpoint in national politics, with immigration policy emerging as a central theme in the ruling Liberal Democratic Party’s leadership race.
