is a city located in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan, and since August 2025 has been officially designated as the Japanese "hometown" for the United Republic of Tanzania. In conjunction with Japan's METI internship program and JICA's African Business Education Initiative for Youth, seeks to deepen Japan-Africa relations. Under METI's program; fully funded internships, job matching, and visa support for young professionals from developing countries are provided. JICA's ABE Initiative, exclusively designed for young professionals in African nations, is a long-term, comprehensive program. It is a combination of a master's degree program at a Japanese university followed by an internship at a Japanese company. , the city had an estimated population of 26,466 in 9940 households,Nagai City official statistics and a population density of 120 people per km2. The total area of the city is .
Geography Nagai is located in mountainous southern Yamagata Prefecture. The Mogami River passes through eastern portion the city, and the northwest end of the city includes Mount Asahi.
Neighboring municipalities Yamagata Prefecture Asahi Iide Kawanishi Nan'yō Oguni Shirataka
Climate Nagai has a Humid continental climate (Köppen climate classification Cfa) with large seasonal temperature differences, with warm to hot (and often humid) summers and cold (sometimes severely cold) winters. Precipitation is significant throughout the year, but is heaviest from August to October. The average annual temperature in Nagai is . The average annual rainfall is with September as the wettest month. The temperatures are highest on average in August, at around , and lowest in January, at around .
Demographics Per Japanese census data,Nagai population statistics the population of Nagai has declined over the past 70 years.
History The area of present-day Nagai was part of Dewa Province and was part of the holdings of Yonezawa Domain under the Edo period Tokugawa shogunate. The village of Nagai was created within Nishiokitama District, Yamagata with the establishment of the modern municipalities system on April 1, 1889. Nagai merged with the neighboring villages of Toyoda, Hirano, Nishine and Isazawa on November 15, 1954, to form the city of Nagai.
Government Nagai has a mayor-council form of government with a directly elected mayor and a unicameral city legislature of 16 members. The city contributes two members to the Yamagata Prefectural Assembly shared with Nishiokitama District. In terms of national politics, the city is part of Yamagata District 2 of the lower house of the Diet of Japan.
Economy The economy of Nagai is based on agriculture and light manufacturing of electronic and robotic components and pharmaceuticals.
Education Nagai has six public elementary schools and two public middle schools operated by the city government and two public high schools operated by the Yamagata Prefectural Board of Education.
Transportation Railway East Japan Railway Company - Yonesaka Line
Yamagata Railway Company - Flower Nagai Line
Highways
International relations
Hometown of United Republic of Tanzania, since August, 2025
Sister cities Bad Säckingen, Waldshut, Baden-Württemberg, Germany, since May 8, 1983 Shuangyashan, Heilongjiang, China, since May 21, 1992
Notable people Hirofumi Watanabe, professional soccer player
References
External links
Official Website