{"id":7209,"date":"2025-09-01T17:11:47","date_gmt":"2025-09-01T17:11:47","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/1307007.us31.myftpupload.com\/?p=7209"},"modified":"2025-09-01T17:11:49","modified_gmt":"2025-09-01T17:11:49","slug":"fact-check-claim-about-special-japanese-visa-for-skilled-nigerians-false","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/enspirefx.com\/royale\/fact-check-claim-about-special-japanese-visa-for-skilled-nigerians-false\/","title":{"rendered":"FACT-CHECK: Claim about special Japanese visa for skilled Nigerians False\u00a0\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Claim: <\/strong>The Japanese government plans to create a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Source: <\/strong>Presidency and media (traditional and social media)<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verdict: <\/strong>False<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Researched by Hamza Ibrahim<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Multiple news outlets, newspapers and social media platforms in viral publications (here<\/a>, here<\/a>, here<\/a>, here<\/a>, here<\/a>) claimed the Japanese government had announced a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented Nigerians who want to move to Kisarazu to work. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The claim was further amplified in a now-deleted August 22, 2025 press release by Abiodun Oladunjoye, Director of Information at State House<\/a>.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe government of Japan on Thursday named the city of Kisarazu as the hometown 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,\u201d the statement partly said. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Fig 1. – Screenshot of the deleted post by Nigeria’s Information Ministry <\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

Another notable person to have shared the claim from the State House was the Presidential Adviser on Information and Strategy, Bayo Onanuga<\/a>, on his Facebook page. <\/p>\n\n\n

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Fig. 2 – A post by presidential aide Bayo Onanuga<\/em><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n

The post has generated millions of engagements across various platforms. On X, Nigeria\u2019s Federal Ministry of Information and National Orientation has gained 974.9k engagements on its post. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Fact-check<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

An investigation conducted by FactSpace Nigeria revealed that the widely circulated claim of announcing special visas for skilled Nigerians by the Japanese government is not true. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The viral claim was circulated as one of the key takeaways on the final day of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9). <\/p>\n\n\n\n

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu joined other African leaders, international development partners, and stakeholders at the TICAD9, which was held from August 20 to 22, 2025, at the Pacifico Yokohama. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

JICA releases statement <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

A statement released by the Japanese International Cooperation Agency (JICA) notes that the viral claim \u201ccontained inaccuracies and potentially misleading information.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The statement on JICA\u2019s<\/a> website maintained: <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn connection with JICA\u2019s recent designation of certain Japanese cities as symbolic \u2018JICA Africa Hometown\u2019 for partner countries in Africa \u2014 announced at the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD 9) \u2014 several media reports and statements by an African government, including coverage from \u2018The Tanzania Times\u2019, \u2018Premium Times (Nigeria)\u2019, \u2018Business insider Africa\u2019, and \u2018BBC News Pidgin\u2019, have contained inaccuracies and potentially misleading information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cHowever, certain local newspapers and the African government have published reports that may give the false impression that, under the \u2018JICA Africa Hometown\u2019 program, Nagai City in Yamagata Prefecture would become part of the country of Tanzania, or reports suggesting the promotion of immigration acceptance or the issuance of special visas for travel between Japan and the respective countries, which are all factually incorrect.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJICA is currently urging the relevant local media and the African government to promptly correct the inaccuracies contained in their coverage,\u201d the statement said<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Verdict<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Therefore, the widely circulated claim that the Japanese government has announced a special visa for Nigerian professionals willing to work in Japan is false. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

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