Japan has officially designated the city of Kisarazu as the hometown for Nigerians wishing to live and work in the country, strengthening cultural diplomacy and economic ties.

The announcement was made by Mr Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at the State House, Abuja.

Unveiled at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), the initiative introduces a special visa category to attract skilled and innovative young Nigerians.

Nigerian artisans and blue-collar workers seeking to upskill will also benefit from the visa scheme.

In a similar move, Japan named Nagai (Tanzania), Sanjo (Ghana), and Imabari (Mozambique) as hometowns for citizens from those countries.

The programme aimed to deepen grassroots ties by linking Japanese municipalities with African nations that had existing bilateral relations.

Nigeria’s Chargé d’Affaires, Mrs Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, and Kisarazu Mayor Yoshikuni Watanabe jointly received the official certificate from the Japanese government.

This partnership will promote manpower development and two-way exchanges, contributing to sustainable growth for Japan and the four African countries involved.

Japanese local governments hope the hometown designations would boost regional populations and support revitalisation efforts.

Kisarazu previously hosted Nigeria’s team training camp for the COVID-19-delayed 2020 Tokyo Olympics.