The Japan International Cooperation Agency was planning to carry out a project that would promote exchanges with Africa and support the acceptance of human resources from African countries.

Under the JICA Africa Hometown initiative, four cities in Japan were each paired with an African country.

This was followed by the spread of misinformation on social media, including the false claim that the program was designed to accept immigrants from Africa.

JICA and the local governments of the designated hometowns were then flooded with complaints.

The agency made a decision.

S/ Tanaka Akihiko, JICA President / Recognizing that great confusion and burden have arisen, JICA has decided to withdraw this plan. We absolutely do not feel that we have given in due to confusion based on misunderstandings.

He said the agency decided to call the project off as continuing it would not lead to meaningful international exchanges.