Japan Clarifies Misinformation: No City to Tanzania, Anti-Immigrant Sentiment Rises Over Cultural Exchange Program
Misinformation regarding a cultural exchange program between Japan and several African countries has sparked public concern and controversy over the past week. The initiative, launched by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), aims to establish symbolic “hometowns” for partner nations such as Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana, and Tanzania across various Japanese prefectures.
The program plans to address challenges in Africa while revitalizing local communities within Japan that are facing economic and demographic decline. However, erroneous reports suggesting that Nagai City in Yamagata Prefecture would become part of Tanzania led to widespread panic among the Japanese public.
Some African media outlets also added fuel to the fire with false claims about a special visa category for Nigerian residents wanting to move to Kisarazu, further fueling concerns about public safety, resource burden, and immigration fears. Social media was inundated with angry posts, some of which contained racially charged or xenophobic comments.
The four cities involved in the program found themselves overwhelmed by complaints, with Imabari receiving approximately 1,000 emails and 450 phone calls about the issue on Monday alone. Local mayors across affected regions issued public statements to reassure citizens.
The central government intervened, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa holding a news conference on Tuesday to clarify that the program would only involve temporary interns returning to their home countries after completing JICA’s training programs. The foreign ministry also issued a statement denying any plans to promote immigration or issue special visas for African residents.
JICA and other authorities urged partner African governments and local media outlets to correct the misinformation, with the Nigerian government removing its original announcement and reposting a corrected version on Tuesday without mention of special visas. However, many social media users remain unconvinced, some calling for the dismantling of JICA or expressing distrust in their statements.
The incident highlights a growing wave of anti-immigration sentiment in Japan, reflected in the rise of the right-wing populist party Sanseito, which has gained support with its “Japanese First” message. Despite the increase in foreign residents over the past decade – from 2.23 million to 3.77 million – concerns persist among Japanese citizens about potential negative impacts on their living conditions due to factors such as stagnant wages and high inflation.
The Sanseito party capitalized on these apprehensions during its campaign, with some critics labeling the rhetoric inflammatory and xenophobic. The party leader, Sohei Kamiya, emphasized the hardships faced by Japanese people in a speech before the elections, stating that an increase in foreign workers could exacerbate crime rates and immigration numbers.