Japan has scrapped its Africa Hometown cultural exchange programme after false online claims sparked panic over immigration. The initiative, run by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), paired Japanese cities with African communities for training and cultural exchange.

It had nothing to do with visas, but a mistaken Nigerian statement about a “special visa category” fueled fake news. Critics accused Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba of plotting mass immigration, with Elon Musk amplifying the claims on X, warning Japan could “cease to exist.”

Local authorities were swamped with angry calls, forcing JICA to pull the plug. With immigration fears on the rise, can Japan balance its cultural ties without sparking backlash?