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Japan Launches First-Ever Overseas Firefighting Mission in Indonesia
(MENAFN) A Japanese naval vessel carrying three CH-47 helicopters reached wildfire-ravaged Indonesia on Thursday, marking Tokyo's first-ever overseas firefighting deployment, Japanese media reported.
The 8,900-ton Osumi-class transport ship Kunisaki docked at Kijing Port in West Kalimantan carrying roughly 350 personnel.
Starting Sunday, the helicopters will spend about a week assisting the Indonesian military with aerial firefighting operations.
Each CH-47 will scoop water from nearby rivers, hauling around five tons per run before releasing it over areas scorched by fire.
"We will make every effort" to carry out the mission and help those affected, a Japanese Defense Ministry official said.
According to Kyodo, wildfires that swept across Indonesia between January and July have destroyed roughly 2,000 square kilometers (772 square miles) of forest and peatland. Blazes are still active in parts of the country, and Indonesia's military continues to run aerial firefighting missions.
The deployment stems from an agreement reached in May between Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, to deepen defense ties, including joint training exercises and disaster-relief cooperation.
Separately, Japan has for the first time sent Japan Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets to India. The Indian Air Force and its Japanese counterpart are running a joint air exercise, "Veer Guardian-2026," which kicked off Wednesday and continues through September at Air Force Station Jodhpur in western India.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, posting on the US social media platform X, called the inaugural visit a "significant milestone" in the India-Japan defense relationship.
"I am deeply encouraged to see that Japan-India defense cooperation is steadily developing through the accumulation of exchanges and joint training between frontline units," Koizumi wrote in a separate post.
The 8,900-ton Osumi-class transport ship Kunisaki docked at Kijing Port in West Kalimantan carrying roughly 350 personnel.
Starting Sunday, the helicopters will spend about a week assisting the Indonesian military with aerial firefighting operations.
Each CH-47 will scoop water from nearby rivers, hauling around five tons per run before releasing it over areas scorched by fire.
"We will make every effort" to carry out the mission and help those affected, a Japanese Defense Ministry official said.
According to Kyodo, wildfires that swept across Indonesia between January and July have destroyed roughly 2,000 square kilometers (772 square miles) of forest and peatland. Blazes are still active in parts of the country, and Indonesia's military continues to run aerial firefighting missions.
The deployment stems from an agreement reached in May between Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and his Indonesian counterpart, Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin, to deepen defense ties, including joint training exercises and disaster-relief cooperation.
Separately, Japan has for the first time sent Japan Air Self-Defense Force fighter jets to India. The Indian Air Force and its Japanese counterpart are running a joint air exercise, "Veer Guardian-2026," which kicked off Wednesday and continues through September at Air Force Station Jodhpur in western India.
Indian Defense Minister Rajnath Singh, posting on the US social media platform X, called the inaugural visit a "significant milestone" in the India-Japan defense relationship.
"I am deeply encouraged to see that Japan-India defense cooperation is steadily developing through the accumulation of exchanges and joint training between frontline units," Koizumi wrote in a separate post.
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