A Japanese military transport ship has arrived in the region of Kalimantan on the island of Borneo as part of a disaster relief mission to help combat wildfires in Indonesia. These fires have created a thick, toxic haze that is affecting public health not only in Indonesia but also in neighboring countries. The ship, which includes 300 personnel and three CH-47 helicopters, docked in Mempawah district on Thursday. This marks the first known overseas firefighting operation conducted by Japan's Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), highlighting a new role for the military in international disaster response. Colonel Syunji Nakahara, the commander of the disaster relief activities, emphasized the importance of cooperation with the Indonesian military. "We will learn from their operational experience and work together to ensure that the Indonesian people can lead stable lives as soon as possible," he said at the port. This mission also reflects growing military ties between Japan and Indonesia, including discussions about Japan selling used destroyers to Indonesia. The wildfires in Indonesia have been worsening due to an intensifying El Niño weather pattern and a prolonged dry season. The toxic haze from the fires has spread far beyond Indonesia's borders, reaching the Philippines and exceeding Malaysia's emergency-level air pollution threshold. In Malaysia, an emergency was declared in a town in Sarawak state on Borneo last week. The smoke has also affected areas on the island of Sumatra, leading to the suspension of school activities for more than 1.4 million students across the country. Japan's firefighting efforts will focus on supporting Indonesian authorities in reaching areas that are difficult for ground teams to access. The JSDF stated that the three CH-47 Chinook helicopters from Japan will begin conducting firefighting operations on Borneo as soon as preparations are complete. Indonesian authorities have intensified their own efforts to contain the blazes, using aircraft from multiple countries including Japan, the United States, Russia, Australia, Canada, and Ukraine. Indonesia's Forestry Ministry reported that over 202,000 hectares of land—nearly three times the size of Singapore—have been burned between January and July.