At the 2025 Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), scheduled to begin on Wednesday, The Japan International Cooperation Agency is set to designate at least four cities in the country as “hometowns” for certain nations in Africa as part of its initiative to deepen exchanges.
According to www3.nhk.or.jp, so far, Nagai City in Yamagata Prefecture is expected to be named as the hometown of Tanzania; Kisarazu City in Chiba will be the hometown of Nigeria; Sanjo City in Niigata will serve as hometown for Ghana; and Imabari City in Ehime, for Mozambique.
Foreign ministry officials say that by the year 2050 the population of Africa is expected to be about a quarter of the world’s population, so it is essential for Japan to incorporate the vitality of the continent. The officials add that they hope direct connections between Japanese and African municipalities will lead to the expansion of exchanges.
