Indonesia, Japan Strengthen Cooperation on Forest and Land Firefighting

RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Indonesia and Japan are strengthening cooperation to address forest and land fires in Kalimantan by deploying three CH‑47 Chinook helicopters from the Japan Maritime Self‑Defense Force (JMSDF). The assistance has been integrated into firefighting operations led by the Indonesian government.

Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin expressed appreciation for Japan’s support during his visit to the JMSDF ship JS Kunisaki and its three CH‑47 Chinook helicopters in Mempawah, West Kalimantan, on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

During the visit, Minister Sjafrie received a briefing from Japanese military personnel on the progress of firefighting operations and inspected Japan’s contribution to the suppression efforts. He also contacted Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi by phone to convey his gratitude.

“As Minister of Defense, I extend my gratitude and appreciation to Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi for the rapid response in providing CH‑47 helicopters equipped with firefighting capabilities,” Minister Sjafrie said, as quoted in a press release from the Ministry of Defense received in Jakarta on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, and reported by Antara.

He said the cooperation is expected to ease the burden on the Indonesian government in handling the fires while strengthening defense ties between the two nations.

“The most important thing is how all available capabilities can be utilized to protect the public, accelerate firefighting efforts, and mitigate the impact of the fires. That is the tangible benefit of the good relationship and defense diplomacy between Indonesia and Japan,” he stated.

Secretary‑General of the Ministry of Defense, Lt. Gen. Tri Budi Utomo, said the three Japanese helicopters are assisting firefighting operations from September 12 to 19, 2026.

He emphasized that Japan’s assistance does not replace Indonesia’s lead role in fighting the fires. It complements the government’s existing operations. “All available national resources are being used. Japan’s assistance is being integrated into the Indonesian government’s firefighting efforts,” Tri Budi said.

According to Tri Budi, Japan’s support is part of the comprehensive defense cooperation under the Defence Cooperation Arrangement (DCA) between Indonesia and Japan, signed on May 4, 2026.

A key component of the cooperation is disaster management, including humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HADR). As such, the deployment of Japanese military capabilities to address forest and land fires falls within the framework of humanitarian cooperation and defense diplomacy between the two countries.

This collaboration reflects how Indonesia and Japan are leveraging defense capabilities to support disaster response efforts and protect the public from the impact of forest and land fires. ***