Angry residents have bombarded city halls with calls and emails, fearing their hometowns were being ‘given away’ to African migrants
In just a few days, a mistranslated phrase, an overzealous government statement and a flurry of social media posts turned a modest cultural exchange programme into a heated immigration controversy.
The initiative was intended as a gesture to reinforce existing cultural and educational ties. But officials and media in several African countries misinterpreted the scheme, with Nigeria’s government issuing a statement on Friday that incorrectly claimed Japan was creating a new visa category allowing young Nigerians to “live and work” in Kisarazu. The statement promised that “artisans and other blue-collar workers from Nigeria who are ready to upskill will also benefit from the special dispensation visa”.
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