The Japanese guests were hosted by Vice Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thanh Cong, along with leaders from various departments and agencies.

Welcoming Hiroshi Fukada and his delegation to Son La, Cong provided an overview of the province’s significant achievements in politics, socio-economic development, national defence, security, and international cooperation, with a particular focus on the management and operation of hydropower plants and measures to ensure the safety of dams.

He also updated the delegation on the damage caused by Typhoon Yagi and the ongoing disaster recovery efforts. He emphasized the province's need for support in researching solutions for river monitoring equipment along the Da River and improving accurate meteorological information systems, which would aid disaster response and mitigation efforts in the future.

Hiroshi Fukada thanked Cong and provincial leaders for their warm and respectful reception. He shared that he is currently supporting a Japanese weather information company in Vietnam, which is using radar systems powered by information technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to provide accurate hourly weather forecasts for specific regions over short distances. These systems can issue early warnings to evacuation, helping protect lives and minimize damage from natural disasters.

He expressed his hope that Son La would assist in piloting this technology, making it a model for providing meteorological information across northern Vietnam. This collaboration could contribute significantly to enhancing the province’s disaster prevention and mitigation efforts, he noted.

Cong affirmed full support for the proposal to install radar warning systems in the province. The province has tasked the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development to work with relevant agencies to research and implement the solution. The Son La Hydropower Company will serve as the pilot site for the installation of monitoring equipment. The provincial Meteorological and Hydrological Station will also conduct site assessments and monitor the performance of the equipment, with the goal of minimizing the damage caused by natural disasters in the province.