Nigeria and Japan have opened a new chapter in their relations after the Japanese government designated Kisarazu City in Chiba Prefecture as the official hometown for Nigerians. The announcement was made during the Ninth Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD9), alongside a special visa scheme to attract skilled workers, students, and professionals from Nigeria.

For those relocating—or simply curious about this coastal city—here are seven things to know about Kisarazu:

1. A City by the Bay, Just an Hour from Tokyo.

Kisarazu lies about 70 kilometres from Tokyo, connected by the Tokyo Bay Aqua-Line, a striking 23.7 km bridge-and-tunnel route. This makes commuting to the capital fast and convenient, giving residents the balance of a quieter coastal city with easy access to Japan’s busiest metropolis.

2. Olympic Ties with Nigeria

The city already shares a sporting history with Nigeria. During the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, Nigerian athletes camped and trained in Kisarazu. That cooperation is now a foundation for the deeper hometown partnership announced this week.

3. Strong Economy with Local and Global Reach.

Part of the Keiyō Industrial Zone, Kisarazu hosts industries in steel, chemicals, and electronics, while also retaining its traditional fishing and farming sectors. The Mitsui Outlet Park has turned the city into a retail hub. With Nigeria’s new exchange programme, Kisarazu hopes to rejuvenate its workforce and community.

4. Food, Festivals and Culture

The city is famous for clams harvested at Egawa Beach, alongside Japanese staples like ramen, udon, and street snacks such as takoyaki and taiyaki. Culturally, locals celebrate with the Yassai Mossai dance parade and the Kisarazu Minato Port Festival, while landmarks like Kōzō-ji Temple and the Nakanoshima Ohashi pedestrian bridge highlight its heritage and scenery.

5. Education and Healthcare Opportunities

Kisarazu offers diverse educational institutions, including Seiwa University, Kisarazu National College of Technology, and the bilingual Gyosei International School. Under Japan’s universal healthcare system, Nigerians relocating to the city will also have access to hospitals and clinics, including Kisarazu City Hospital.

6. Safe, Affordable and Family-Friendly

Like much of Japan, Kisarazu boasts low crime rates and a strong sense of community security. Living costs are lower than in central Tokyo, with more affordable rent, groceries, and transport. According to LivingCost.Org, the city’s median after-tax salary of $2,585 covers more than two months of expenses—making it attractive for families and young professionals.

7. A Bridge Between Nigeria and Japan

With its new “hometown” status and visa scheme, Kisarazu becomes a key hub for Nigeria–Japan cultural exchange. While Japanese is the main language, international communities, including Christian and Muslim groups, are present in nearby Chiba and Tokyo. For Nigerians, this offers both integration and the comfort of familiar spiritual communities.

From its scenic waterfronts to its industrial base and vibrant festivals, Kisarazu is not just a coastal city near Tokyo—it is now the symbolic home of Nigerians in Japan, strengthening ties between the two nations.

The number of visas issued to foreign nationals entering the UK for work, study, family, or humanitarian purposes has fallen sharply.

According to new data by the UK Home Office, 834,977 entry visas were granted in the year to June 2025 across these categories, down nearly a third (32 percent ) from 1.23 million in the previous 12 months.

The data shows that work-related visas saw the steepest decline, plunging 48 percent from 545,855 to 286,071.

Study visas dropped by 18 percent, falling from 530,312 to 435,891, while family visas decreased by 15 percent, from 83,912 to 70,961.

Among humanitarian and resettlement categories, 14,216 visas were issued under the Ukraine schemes (down 48 percent year-on-year), 11,804 to British National Overseas (BNO) status holders from Hong Kong (down 47 percent), and 9,357 under the EU Settlement Scheme (down 34 percent).

Additionally, 3,640 visas were granted to dependants joining or accompanying others, while 3,037 were issued under other settlement schemes.

The overall total is the lowest for any 12 months since the year to September 2021, when 802,415 visas were issued.

The sharp decline follows changes to legal migration rules introduced early last year by the previous conservative government.

These included restrictions on most international students bringing family members to the UK and a ban on overseas care workers bringing dependants.

Yvette Cooper, the home secretary, said the government’s actions have been key to “restoring order” to the immigration system.

“We inherited a broken immigration and asylum system that the previous government left in chaos,” she said.

“Since coming to office, we have strengthened Britain’s visa and immigration controls, cut asylum costs and sharply increased enforcement and returns, as today’s figures show.

“The action we have taken in the last 12 months — increasing returns of failed asylum seekers by over 30 percent, cutting asylum costs by 11 percent, reducing the backlog by 18 percent and our forthcoming plans to overhaul the failing asylum appeal system — are crucial steps to restoring order and putting an end to the chaotic use of asylum hotels that we inherited from the previous government.

“At the same time, we are bringing legal migration back under control, with a 48 percent reduction in work visas this year — and further stronger visa controls and higher skill requirements introduced through our White Paper expected to bring those overall numbers down further.”

Olohundare Jimoh, commissioner of police in Lagos, has ordered the restructuring of the police squad involved in the “assault of a motorist” during a stop-and-search operation in Lagos.

The directive follows widespread condemnation of officers caught on camera forcibly trying to remove the motorist’s eyeglass — on suspicion that the pair of glasses had a video recording feature.

On Friday, a video circulating on X (formerly Twitter) showed the confrontation between officers and the motorist.

Benjamin Hundeyin, spokesperson for the Lagos police command, said swift disciplinary action has been taken against the officers involved.

In a statement, the police said the incident is isolated and does not reflect the professionalism expected of its personnel.

The force’s leadership reaffirmed its commitment to rooting out and sanctioning errant officers whose actions undermine the reputation of the majority of dedicated and responsible officers.

“We strongly condemn the actions of some officers captured in a viral video attempting to forcibly remove a pair of glasses from a motorist during a stop-and-search operation, and further assaulting him,” the statement reads.

“The officers involved have been identified as personnel attached to the Lagos state police command.

“The commissioner of police in charge of the Lagos state command has been contacted and has swiftly acted appropriately to ensure that the officers face commensurate disciplinary actions. He has equally ordered for the restructuring of the squad involved.

“The Nigeria police force assures the public that this isolated incident does not represent the standards of professionalism expected of police personnel.

“The force leadership stands on its commitment to identifying and sanctioning the very few errant officers whose actions embarrass dedicated, hardworking and responsible personnel of the force.”