JurnalPost.com - The forest and land fires that struck West Kalimantan Province throughout 2026 became one of the most serious disaster management challenges in Indonesia. The West Kalimantan Provincial Government declared a state of emergency for forest and land fires from February 2 to November 15, 2026, as a preemptive measure against the rising threat of fires during the dry season.
The increase inhotspots, the extent of burned land, and the resulting haze meant that fire suppression efforts required large-scale resource mobilization. The situation became increasingly complex when fires occurred in peatland areas and regions difficult to access by land.
In such a situation, the handling of forest and land fires not only demonstrated Indonesia's domestic capacity to face disasters but also opened doors for international cooperation. One notable development was Japan's involvement through defense cooperation and humanitarian aid.
The presence of Japanese defense assets in assisting fire suppression operations in West Kalimantan illustrates the evolving relationship between Indonesia and Japan. Defense diplomacy is no longer solely about military exercises, defense industries, or regional security, but can also be utilized to support humanitarian operations and disaster management.
From Post-War Relations to Strategic Partnership
The relationship between Indonesia and Japan has traveled a long path. The ties between the two countries have evolved from the historical experience of the Japanese occupation and the post-World War II period toward economic cooperation, development, and strategic partnerships in the defense sector.
Diplomatic relations between Indonesia and Japan were officially established on January 20, 1958, coinciding with the normalization process through the Peace Treaty and the settlement of war reparations.
Japan's payment of war reparations between 1958 and 1970 became one of the starting points for Tokyo's involvement in various development projects in Indonesia.
During the New Order era, the relationship between the two countries grew closer through Official Development Assistance (ODA), manufacturing sector investment, infrastructure development, and trade.
This relationship was further strengthened by the Fukuda Doctrine in 1977. Japan positioned Southeast Asia as an important partner with an approach emphasizing a "heart-to-heart" relationship, heart-to-heart, while reducing the perception that Japan's engagement with the region was solely oriented toward economic interests.
Indonesia was once one of the largest recipients of Japanese ODA, demonstrating Indonesia's significant position in Japan's development policy and diplomacy in Southeast Asia.
Entering the 21st century, the relationship between the two countries expanded significantly.
The establishment of the Strategic Partnership for a Peaceful and Prosperous Future in 2006 became a major milestone. Cooperation was no longer limited to trade and investment but also encompassed maritime security, human resource capacity building, disaster management, and defense.
West Kalimantan Forest Fires and Management Challenges
In 2026, forest and land fires in West Kalimantan developed into a serious issue.
Data from the National Disaster Management Agency (BNPB) showed that the total area burned in West Kalimantan as of September 14, 2026, reached approximately 48,536 hectares.
This figure combines SiPongi data up to July 31, 2026, of approximately 38,310 hectares, and BNPB field measurements from August 1 to September 14, 2026, of approximately 10,224 hectares.
Fires occurred in several areas, including regions with peatland characteristics. This condition made the extinguishing process difficult because fire can persist beneath the soil surface.
The haze also impacted air quality and community activities.
Ground-based suppression faced challenges due to the vast area and terrain conditions. Meanwhile, aerial operations were heavily influenced by visibility, weather conditions, and fleet availability.
These characteristics made the support of large-capacity helicopters crucial in strengthening fire suppression operations.
DCA and a New Chapter in Defense Diplomacy
Amidst rising security and disaster challenges, the defense relationship between Indonesia and Japan entered a new chapter.
On May 4, 2026, Indonesian Minister of Defense Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin received Japanese Minister of Defense Shinjiro Koizumi at the Ministry of Defense office in Jakarta.
The meeting resulted in a Defense Cooperation Arrangement (DCA) as a framework for strengthening defense cooperation between the two countries.
This agreement is significant because Indonesia-Japan defense cooperation is not solely directed at building military capacity. Humanitarian aspects and disaster management have also become integral parts of the cooperation.
In the perspective of modern defense, the military is not always used to face armed conflict.
Logistics, transportation, aviation, communication, medical personnel, and engineering capabilities possessed by defense institutions can be utilized in Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR).
The West Kalimantan forest fires became a tangible space for applying this approach.
Japan's Chinook Joins Fire Suppression Efforts
As the forest and land fires in West Kalimantan increasingly required strengthened aerial operations, Japan provided assistance to support disaster management.
Japan deployed three CH-47 Chinook heavy-lift helicopters capable of supporting water bombingoperations. The Japanese military vessel JS Kunisaki was also present in West Kalimantan as part of the mission.
The presence of large-capacity helicopters provided additional capability to reach fire-affected areas that were difficult to handle via land routes.
In the context of defense diplomacy, the presence of these Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF) assets is noteworthy.
Primary defense equipment, essentially built to support defense needs, can be repurposed for humanitarian operations.
Thus, military assets are not only instruments of hard power, but can also be part of the implementation of a nation's soft power and smart power .
Defense Diplomacy within the Two-Level Games Framework
In international relations studies, defense diplomacy can be understood as the use of defense cooperation to achieve strategic interests without directly employing armed force.
Robert Putnam, through his two-level games theory, explains that a diplomatic process operates on two levels.
At the first level, there are negotiations between states. At the second level, governments must still consider the interests, policies, and domestic political dynamics of each party.
This concept is relevant for observing the cooperation between Indonesia and Japan.
At the international level, Indonesia requires additional capabilities to accelerate the handling of forest fires. Japan possesses the technology, personnel, and equipment that can be utilized for humanitarian operations.
At the domestic level, both countries must ensure that the cooperation aligns with their respective national interests, regulations, and defense policy orientations.
The DCA serves as an instrument that bridges these needs.
This framework allows defense cooperation to evolve from a symbolic relationship into a collaboration that provides direct benefits to the community.
Strategic Benefits for Indonesia
For Indonesia, Japan's support provides several benefits.
First, the additional CH-47 Chinook helicopters help strengthen aerial operation capacity in facing fires in hard-to-reach areas.
Second, the cooperation can reduce the pressure on national resources when disaster management operations occur on a large scale.
Third, collaboration between Indonesian and Japanese personnel can provide important experience in improving interoperability in HADR missions.
Field experience provides space for personnel to learn coordination, communication, task division, and the use of technology in joint operations.
In the long term, this experience has the potential to strengthen Indonesia's ability to face large-scale disasters.
Japan's Interests in Humanitarian Missions
For Japan, involvement in handling forest fires also holds strategic value.
For decades, Japan has developed the idea of an active contribution to peace, or Proactive Contribution to Peace. Within this framework, defense capabilities can be used to support regional stability and humanitarian missions.
The operation in West Kalimantan provided space for the JSDF to demonstrate that its military capabilities can provide benefits in non-war situations.
The mission simultaneously strengthened Japan's image as a country actively contributing to human security and disaster management in the Indo-Pacific region.
Indonesia itself holds a strategic position for Japan.
Besides being one of the largest countries in ASEAN, Indonesia is located on a vital shipping lane connecting the Indian and Pacific Oceans. Indonesia's stability is closely linked to regional stability and Japan's economic interests.
Therefore, the deepening of Indonesia-Japan defense relations cannot be separated from the changing strategic environment of the Indo-Pacific.
Future Prospects for Cooperation
The experience of handling the 2026 forest fires opens space for the development of Indonesia-Japan defense diplomacy in the future.
One opportunity that can be considered is the strengthening of joint mechanisms to face large-scale disasters.
Indonesia and Japan can increase joint HADR exercises that specifically simulate the handling of forest fires, earthquakes, tsunamis, and hydrometeorological disasters.
Cooperation can also be directed toward technology transfer.
Indonesia needs equipment that not only has defense functions but can also be used in emergencies. Heavy-lift helicopter technology, amphibious aircraft, emergency communication systems, and environmental monitoring devices could be part of future cooperation development.
Furthermore, the utilization of satellite technology and remote sensing has great prospects.
Integrating remote sensing information with a national command center can improve the ability to detect hotspots earlier, allowing suppression operations to be conducted before fires expand.
Defense Diplomacy Touching Community Interests
The handling of the 2026 West Kalimantan forest fires shows that defense diplomacy is not always synonymous with arms purchases, military exercises, or power competition.
In certain situations, defense diplomacy can actually provide a direct impact on the community.
The Defense Cooperation Arrangement framework between Indonesia and Japan provides space for utilizing defense capabilities to support humanitarian and disaster management missions.
The presence of the JS Kunisaki and three CH-47 Chinook helicopters is a concrete representation of this shift.
For Indonesia, the cooperation strengthens disaster management capacity. For Japan, humanitarian missions serve as a means to strengthen its contribution to regional peace and stability.
Ultimately, the West Kalimantan forest fires provide a lesson that modern security threats do not only come in the form of armed conflict.
Ecological disasters, environmental changes, and humanitarian crises also require state readiness and cross-border cooperation.
This is where defense diplomacy finds new relevance: not only as an instrument to protect the state from military threats, but also as a bridge for cooperation to protect people and the environment.
Bibliography
Aritonang, A. A. (2024). Introduction to Defense Diplomacy. Jakarta: CV Aksara Global Akademia.
Ministry of Forestry. (2026, April 14). Forest Fire Preparedness Roll Call in West Kalimantan Strengthens Anticipation for the 2026 Dry Season. Ministry of Forestry Press Release.
Padiatra, A. M. (2020). The Ebb and Flow of Japan-Indonesia Relations 1880s–1974. SASDAYA: Gadjah Mada Journal of Humanities.
Riyandewi, D., & Wardoyo, S. (2024). Japan's Official Development Assistance (ODA) to Indonesia during the New Order Era (1966–1998). East Asian Review.
Rizky, M. (2026, September 15). Burned Land Area in West Kalimantan Reaches 48,536 Ha, 19 Hotspots Remain. CNBC Indonesia.
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