Japan is widening its search for foreign workers beyond its traditional Southeast Asian pool, turning to Africa as it struggles with a shrinking population and an acute labour shortage. The Japan International Cooperation Agency plans to designate four regional cities as “hometowns” for Tanzania, Nigeria, Ghana and Mozambique, creating municipal-level partnerships meant to channel African students and job-seekers into local industries ranging from agriculture to manufacturing. The initiative is part of a broader government strategy to revitalise depopulated areas outside Tokyo, whose population has continued to expand even as many rural prefectures lose residents. Under JICA’s pilot programmes, young Africans already work on Japanese farms through the country’s special skills visa, which offers a five-year stay with the option of longer-term residency for highly skilled workers. Policymakers see Africa as a promising source of talent: by 2050 the continent is expected to account for roughly one in every four people on the planet. Officials involved in the scheme say it will help Japanese employers secure much-needed labour while providing African participants with training and employment experience that can be transferred back to their home countries.