Japan used the closing day of the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development in Yokohama to unveil a special visa programme that will allow citizens of Nigeria, Tanzania, Ghana and Mozambique to live and work in Japan. Under the initiative, four Japanese municipalities have been labelled “hometowns” for incoming workers, with Kisarazu in Chiba Prefecture named for Nigerians. The visas target artisans and other blue-collar workers willing to upskill and are intended to ease labour shortages caused by Japan’s rapidly ageing population while strengthening cultural ties with Africa. Officials from both sides said the scheme aligns Japan’s need for workers with Africa’s push to create jobs for its growing youth population. The International Organization for Migration described a supportive community environment as “indispensable” for successful integration, and African leaders at TICAD 9 stressed training in language and culture to ensure migrants can participate fully in local society. The conference also produced fresh financing commitments. Nigeria announced a $190 million renewable-energy loan from the Japan International Cooperation Agency, supplementing earlier JICA-backed projects to bolster the West African nation’s electricity grid and technical training. The Yokohama Declaration adopted at the meeting calls for deeper multilateral trade and health-care cooperation as Japanese companies seek a larger foothold on the continent.