- Japan’s aid agency JICA cancelled the Africa Hometown scheme after a misinformation campaign.
- The initiative paired Japanese cities with African communities for cultural exchange, not visas.
- A false Nigerian statement about a “special visa” fueled claims of mass migration.
- Elon Musk amplified the rumor, warning Japan could “cease to exist” if it continued.
- Municipalities faced hundreds of angry calls, forcing the program to shut down.
- Only 3% of Japan’s population is foreign, yet anti-immigration politics are on the rise.
- The case highlights how fake news and populist narratives influence policy decisions.
Japan has abruptly scrapped a flagship cultural partnership with Africa after a wave of online falsehoods triggered public outrage and a flood of angry complaints.
The Africa Hometown scheme, created by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), was meant to link four regional Japanese cities with communities in four African countries to foster cultural ties and provide training opportunities. Importantly, the program had nothing to do with visas or migration.
That distinction, however, was buried after an erroneous statement from Nigeria suggesting a “special visa category” went viral. The claim snowballed into a populist talking point that framed the initiative as a backdoor immigration policy. Critics of Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba seized on the rumor, accusing him of trying to bring “millions of Africans and Kurds” into the country.
The narrative gained further traction when billionaire Elon Musk weighed in on X, warning that Japan risked erasing itself as a nation. His comments echoed the far-right language he has been accused of promoting elsewhere, and they supercharged the controversy.
Within days, participating municipalities were overwhelmed with hostile phone calls, some receiving up to 200 complaints daily. JICA President Akihiko Tanaka admitted that the backlash had made the program unworkable and confirmed its cancellation, calling the uproar the result of “misunderstandings and confusion.”
Although Japan has one of the lowest levels of immigration globally — with foreign residents making up just 3% of the population — anti-immigration sentiment has been rising. Right-wing groups such as the “Japanese First” Sanseito party have gained momentum, pushing hardline messages at a time when experts argue the country’s aging population desperately needs foreign workers.
The collapse of the Africa Hometown initiative underscores how misinformation and nationalist rhetoric can derail international cooperation, even in a country struggling with demographic decline.
