The Japanese government is struggling to hose down viral misinformation claiming that the recent “hometown” agreements between four Japanese cities and African nations is part of a wider move to accept more immigrants from Africa.
The incident started when the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), Japan’s aid agency, officially designated the four municipalities as “hometowns” for four African countries during the Tokyo International Conference on African Development held last week.
However, misinformation claiming that the agreement was a way to ease visa rules for Africans and encourage their migration soon surfaced, sparking controversies online, with many criticizing JICA and the Japanese municipalities for the program.
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