Pontianak, Sept. 23 -- The Japanese government, through the Japan Self-Defense Forces (JSDF), has strengthened Indonesia's efforts to tackle forest and land fires in Ketapang District, West Kalimantan, by deploying a CH-47 Chinook helicopter.

"This support is part of Japan's humanitarian mission to assist Indonesia in dealing with widespread forest and land fires in several areas of West Kalimantan, particularly Ketapang," Deputy III for Emergency Response at the National Board for Disaster Management (BNPB) Budi Irawan said at Supadio Air Force Base on Wednesday.

Irawan expressed his appreciation to the Japanese government for supporting Indonesia's firefighting operations for nearly two weeks.

"On behalf of the Indonesian Government,...