Japan denies giving away city to Tanzania after misinformation sparks anti-immigration backlash

Japan denies giving away city to Tanzania after misinformation sparks anti-immigration backlash

government would like you to know: no, they’re not giving away a city to Tanzania.

Authorities have been in damage control mode for the last few days after widespread misinformation about a cultural exchange program sparked a public panic – reflecting Japan’s conservative attitudes toward immigration and a recent rise in anti-foreigner sentiment.

The controversy began when Japanese authorities announced a new initiative last week under the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which cooperates with global partners on issues including climate change and healthcare.

The new program established four cities across different prefectures as symbolic “hometowns” for partner countries in Africa: Mozambique, Nigeria, Ghana and Tanzania.

Through exchange events and overseas volunteers, the program aims to address challenges in Africa while revitalizing local communities in Japan, many of which face their own problems of economic and demographic decline, according to JICA and Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

But soon, misinformation spread – with some local African media reports giving “the false impression that … Nagai City in Yamagata Prefecture would become part of the country of Tanzania,” said JICA in a statement on Monday.

The Nigerian government itself added to the furor, claiming on Friday in a (now-deleted) announcement that “the Japanese government will create a special visa category for highly skilled, innovative, and talented young Nigerians who want to move to Kisarazu (city) to live and work.”

The backlash was swift and furious.

Social media was awash in viral posts about the issue, with outraged comments voicing concerns about public safety, the burden on resources, and the fear of immigrants overstaying their visas. Some comments seen by CNN were blatantly racist or xenophobic, propagating negative stereotypes about African nations and people.

The four cities involved in the program found themselves overwhelmed with complaints. For instance, in Imabari, officials received about 1,000 emails and 450 phone calls about the issue on Monday, according to public broadcaster NHK. Elsewhere, local mayors were forced to issue public statements trying to reassure the public. The central government eventually had to step in, with Chief Cabinet Secretary Hayashi Yoshimasa holding a news conference on Tuesday to dispel rumors. While the program will take in interns through JICA’s training programs, those are temporary and the interns will return to their home countries afterward, he said, according to NHK.corresponding local media to correct the information. Since then, the Nigerian government has removed its original announcement – and reposted a new version on Tuesday, labeled “correction,” with no mention of special visas. But many social media users aren’t appeased, with some calling to dismantle JICA entirely, or voicing distrust of the organization’s statements. Xenophobia and racism The controversy reflects the growing wave of anti-immigration sentiment in Japan – also seen in the rise of the right-wing populist party Sanseito, which saw surprising wins in recent parliamentary elections after campaigning on a Trump-style “Japanese First” message.