JICA expert receives Medal for the Cause of Agriculture and Environment

On August 18, the Viet Nam Disaster and Dyke Management Authority (VDDMA) presented the Medal for the Cause of Agriculture and Environment to Ms. Inamori Makiko, Project Formulation Advisor at the JICA Viet Nam Office. The award recognised her contributions to strengthening Viet Nam - Japan cooperation on disaster prevention and related fields.

Ms. Inamori worked in Viet Nam from September 2022 to August 2026. During her four-year assignment, she worked closely with the VDDMA and other agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment to coordinate, manage and implement a number of cooperation programmes between Viet Nam and Japan.

In disaster prevention, Ms. Inamori directly coordinated a technical cooperation project to strengthen capacity to reduce the risks of flash floods and landslides in northern Viet Nam’s mountainous areas. The project was completed in December 2025 and delivered several important results. Among them was the construction of Viet Nam’s first Sabo dam in Son La Province, based on Japanese technical standards. The project also installed a landslide early warning system in Yen Bai Province.

Ms. Inamori also helped coordinate emergency relief provided by the Japanese Government through JICA to support people affected by Typhoon Yagi in 2024, as well as by natural disasters and floods in 2025.

She also helped coordinate a technical cooperation project on flood recovery planning and the development of a comprehensive disaster prevention master plan for central Viet Nam, which is being implemented from 2024 to 2027.

One of the project's key areas is developing a flood control plan for the Vu Gia - Thu Bon river basin.

The medal recognizes Inamori Makiko’s contributions to Viet Nam - Japan cooperation in agriculture, the environment and disaster prevention. Her work has also helped strengthen cooperation and mutual understanding between the two countries.

Going forward, the parties hope that the knowledge and experience gained during Inamori’s assignment will continue to be shared, carried forward and put into practice through cooperation programmes between JICA and Vietnamese agencies.