The Traffic

Diplomatic Embarrassment: Japan Denies Tinubu Govt’s Claim of Special Visa for Nigerians

Barely days after the Nigerian presidency proudly announced what it called a “special Japanese visa category” for skilled Nigerians, Tokyo has publicly denied the claim—triggering what observers now describe as a diplomatic embarrassment for the Tinubu administration.

The controversy began last Thursday when Abuja, in a statement tied to the 9th Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9) in Yokohama, declared that Japan had designated Kisarazu City as a “hometown” for Nigerians. It further claimed that under a new partnership with the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Nigerian artisans and skilled youth would soon access a unique visa dispensation to live and work in Japan.

The announcement was greeted with excitement at home, especially among young professionals frustrated by Nigeria’s stifling economy. But the jubilation was short-lived.

On Monday, Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a categorical rebuttal, branding the reports “untrue” and clarifying that no such immigration concessions had been created.

“There are no plans to take measures to promote the acceptance of immigrants or issue special visas for residents of African countries,” the ministry said, stressing that contrary to the Nigerian government’s announcement, the ‘JICA Africa Hometown’ initiative has nothing to do with migration.

Instead, Tokyo explained, the programme was designed purely to strengthen community-level exchanges between four Japanese cities and four African countries. The focus, it noted, would be on “exchange events, local partnerships, and cultural understanding” — not relocation or residency.

The rebuttal leaves Nigeria’s presidency red-faced, raising questions about communication lapses in its foreign policy machinery. Critics warn that such missteps risk damaging the country’s diplomatic credibility at a time when it seeks stronger international partnerships.

For now, the dream of a Japanese migration route for Nigerian youth has dissolved into disappointment — a reminder that in diplomacy, words must match facts.

By Haruna Yakubu Haruna