Minister Sjafrie Appreciates Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi

RRI.CO.ID, Mempawah – Indonesia’s Minister of Defense, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin conducted a direct inspection of the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) vessel JS Kunisaki and three CH-47 Chinook helicopters in Mempawah on Tuesday, September 15, 2026. The presence of the JMSDF is aimed at supporting efforts to speed up the suppression of forest and land fires in West Kalimantan.

Minister Sjafrie conveyed his appreciation directly to the commanders and personnel of the Japanese Self-Defense Forces aboard JS Kunisaki. He also held discussions with members of the Japanese delegation, including Joint Force Commander Colonel Nakahara Syunzi; Commander of the 1st Amphibious Squadron, Colonel Noma Toshihide; Commander of JS Kunisaki, Lieutenant Colonel Osanai Tetsuya; and CH-47 Squadron Commander, Lieutenant Colonel Wakatsuki.

During the visit, Minister Sjafrie received a direct briefing on the operational conditions and progress of the Japanese forces deployed in the field. Communication of both sides was further strengthened when Minister Sjafrie spoke by telephone with Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi. During the conversation, the Japanese Defense Minister also directly instructed his personnel.

“As Minister of Defense, I would like to express my gratitude and appreciation to Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi for his swift response in providing CH-47 helicopters equipped with firefighting capabilities,” Minister Sjafrie said.

Collaboration between the Indonesian National Defense Forces (TNI) and the Japanese Self-Defense Forces has been further strengthened through the deployment of three safety officers, one from each branch of the TNI—the Indonesian Army (TNI AD), Indonesian Navy (TNI AL), and Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) to support operational coordination of the assistance.

Minister Sjafrie underscored that the assistance represents a concrete manifestation of the implementation of bilateral relations and the Defense Cooperation Agreement (DCA) between Indonesia and Japan, which is based on the principles of mutual respect and mutual benefit.

In addition, the Minister conveyed that the humanitarian assistance has been integrated with the TNI Task Force supporting the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB). While Indonesia continues to deploy its full national capabilities, the support from Japan is being integrated to ensure that disaster response efforts can be carried out more rapidly and effectively.

As operations develop, plans are also being prepared to relocate the area of operations to southern West Kalimantan, specifically Ketapang, as conditions in the area are considered more suitable for optimizing the operations of the CH-47 helicopter assets.

Meanwhile, a warm atmosphere was evident during the inspection when the Japanese personnel shared that they greatly enjoyed traditional Indonesian dishes, further fostering a sense of camaraderie and strong friendship with their Indonesian hosts.

Minister Sjafrie expressed hope that the integration of military assets and the strong cooperation between the two countries would deliver tangible benefits in the field, accelerate the suppression of fire hotspots, and protect communities from the impacts of forest and land fires.

“The most important thing is how all available capabilities can be utilized to protect the people, accelerate firefighting efforts, and reduce the impact of forest and land fires. That is the tangible benefit of the strong relationship and defense diplomacy between Indonesia and Japan,” Minister Sjafrie said.