Tinubu’s Aides Visit Designated Hometown For Nigerians In Japan

Presidential aides, Bayo Onanuga and Temitope Ajayi, have paid a visit to Kisarazu, the Japanese city newly designated as Nigeria’s hometown.

Naija News reports that the visit came a day after the conclusion of the ninth Tokyo International Conference for African Development (TICAD9), where Japan formally announced Kisarazu as a settlement hub for Nigerians.

In a post via 𝕏 on Saturday, Onanuga said the city holds symbolic ties with Nigeria, recalling that it hosted the country’s Olympic team during the Tokyo 2021 Games.

He wrote, “After the closing ceremony of TICAD9, we went on a voyage of discovery to Kisarazu, the town the Japanese have designated as Nigeria’s hometown.

“Nigeria’s Olympic team camped here in 2021. The video shows the city centre, where the Mayor Watanabe’s office is also located.”

The government of Japan has designated the city of Kisarazu as a destination for Nigerians willing to live and work in the country, as part of its strategic efforts to deepen cultural diplomacy, promote economic growth, and enhance workforce productivity.

Under this new partnership, announced on Thursday on the sidelines of the 9th Tokyo International Conference for African Development, the Japanese government will create a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who wish to relocate to Kisarazu to live and work.

Naija News understands that artisans and other blue-collar workers from Nigeria who are ready to upskill will also benefit from the special dispensation visa to work in Japan.

Nigeria’s Charge d’Affaires, Mrs. Florence Akinyemi Adeseke, who also doubles as the Acting Ambassador to Japan, and the Mayor of Kisarazu, Yoshikuni Watanabe, received the certificate from the Japanese government naming Kisarazu the hometown of Nigerians.

Japan International Cooperation Agency, in a ceremony, also named the cities of Nagai in Yamagata Prefecture the hometown of Tanzania, Sanjo in Niigata Prefecture the hometown of Ghana, and Imabari in Ehime Prefecture the hometown of Mozambique.