Japan’s international aid agency, JICA, has formally scrapped its “Africa Hometown” cultural exchange programme following visa confusion and rising false claims that it was a migration scheme.
In a statement, JICA explained the term “hometown” and the designation of Japanese municipalities as such generated “misunderstandings and confusion,” placing undue burdens on involved towns.
The initiative, launched during a recent African development summit, was intended to promote cultural and educational exchange—but did not include immigration or visa provisions, according to the Japanese foreign ministry.
An online misinformation campaign and earlier misreporting by the Nigerian State House claiming a “special visa category” fueled public backlash, prompting JICA’s decision.
