MEMPAWAH, Indonesia — A Japanese military transport ship arrived in Borneo on Thursday as part of a disaster-relief mission to help Indonesia combat wildfires that have produced a hazardous haze affecting public health across the region.
Japan deployed the landing ship JS Kunisaki, three CH-47 helicopters and a crew of 300 to Kalimantan on the island of Borneo.
The deployment marks the first known overseas firefighting operation conducted by the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF).
“To this end, we will learn from the Indonesian military’s operational experience and work in coordination and cooperation with them, striving to ensure that the Indonesian people can lead stable lives as soon as possible,” said Col. Syunji Nakahara, commander of the relief operation, at a port in Mempawah district.
The mission comes as Japan and Indonesia continue to deepen their defense ties, including discussions over Japan’s potential sale of used destroyers to Indonesia.
Indonesia has faced forest and land fires for decades, but an intensified El Niño pattern and an extended dry season have worsened the blazes this year.
The resulting smoke and toxic haze have triggered a health crisis in neighboring countries. Pollution has reached the Philippines, more than 800 kilometers (500 miles) away, and exceeded Malaysia’s emergency threshold, prompting authorities to declare an emergency last week in a town in Sarawak state on Borneo.
Pollution has also affected parts of Sumatra, forcing schools to suspend classes. The haze has disrupted education for more than 1.4 million students nationwide.
Japan’s deployment is expected to help Indonesian authorities reach fire zones that are difficult for ground crews to access.
The JSDF said Thursday that its three CH-47 Chinook helicopters would begin firefighting operations in Borneo as soon as preparations were completed.
“Through these operations, we will dedicate ourselves to supporting the affected people of Indonesia and preventing further damage,” the JSDF said in a written statement.
Indonesian authorities have expanded firefighting operations across several provinces. International support has included aircraft and equipment from Japan, the United States, Russia, Australia, Canada and Ukraine.
Indonesia’s Forestry Ministry recorded more than 202,000 hectares (nearly 500,000 acres) of burned land between January and July, an area almost three times the size of Singapore.
