Japanese Helicopters to Help Tackle Forest Fires, Defence Minister: Defence Cooperation
Defence Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin has confirmed that Japan is sending assistance to help tackle forest and land fires in several regions of Indonesia. He said the assistance comes in the form of aircraft.
“For your information, we are also engaged in defence cooperation with friendly countries, and we have received assistance from a friendly country, Japan, which has provided bilateral assistance between the two defence ministries in the form of sending aircraft to tackle forest fires in our territory,” Sjafrie said after a meeting with Commission I of the House of Representatives at the parliament building in Senayan, Jakarta, on Monday (31/8/2026).
Sjafrie said the assistance is a form of bilateral cooperation between the Indonesian and Japanese defence ministries. According to him, the assistance reflects defence cooperation between Indonesia and friendly countries.
“I think this is a manifestation of cooperation between the defence ministries of various friendly countries. We also continue to pay attention to the tasks assigned by the state in order to secure the development transformation strategy currently underway,” he said.
He said each sector has a connection to the forest and land fire disaster. He also called on all parties to work together.
“In particular, we invite cooperation and mutual assistance from all forest concession holders across the national territory to participate in working together to mitigate these developing forest fires,” he said.
“The Ministry of Defence and the Indonesian National Armed Forces have already deployed all their capabilities and strength to tackle the forest fires,” he added.
Japan’s statement
It was previously reported that Japanese authorities are sending three helicopters and hundreds of personnel from the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force to assist in efforts to tackle the forest and land fires currently blanketing parts of Kalimantan, Indonesia.
The dispatch of this assistance, as reported by the Japan Times and NHK World on Saturday (29/8), was announced directly by Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi this week.
Koizumi said Japan will deploy three CH-47 transport helicopters belonging to the Japan Ground Self-Defence Force to Indonesia, as part of an international emergency relief operation to tackle the forest fires.
The helicopters, Koizumi said, will be used for firefighting activities.
This marks the first time the SDF has carried out such an operation overseas.
According to the Japanese Ministry of Defence, around 600 SDF personnel will be involved in this relief mission.
The three helicopters and hundreds of personnel will be dispatched to Indonesia immediately, using the Kunisaki transport ship belonging to the Japan Maritime Self-Defence 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 came just days after the defence ministers of Japan, Australia, and Indonesia held their first trilateral meeting on Wednesday (26/8) local time.