Japan Sends Helicopters to Help Tackle Forest Fires in Indonesia

Japanese authorities are sending three helicopters and hundreds of Self-Defense Forces (SDF) personnel to assist efforts to tackle the forest and land fires currently blanketing the Kalimantan region of Indonesia.

The dispatch of this assistance, as reported by Japan Times and NHK World on Saturday (29/8/2026), was announced directly by Japan’s Defence Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, this week.

Koizumi said that Japan will deploy three CH-47 transport helicopters belonging to the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force to Indonesia, as part of an international emergency relief operation to address the forest fires.

The helicopters, Koizumi stated, will be used for firefighting activities.

This marks the first time the SDF has carried out such an operation overseas.

According to Japan’s Ministry of Defence, around 600 SDF personnel will be involved in this assistance mission.

The three helicopters and hundreds of personnel will be dispatched to Indonesia immediately, aboard the Kunisaki transport ship belonging to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.

In a statement to reporters in Tokyo on Friday (28/8), Koizumi stressed that Japan ‘will make every possible effort to help prevent the spread of damage’ caused by the forest fires.

Following a request for assistance from the Indonesian government, the Japanese government discussed the support measures that could be provided. On Friday (28/8), Koizumi ordered the Commander of the SDF Joint Operations Command to carry out the mission.

The decision was taken just days after the defence ministers of Japan, Australia, and Indonesia held their first trilateral meeting on Wednesday (26/8) local time.