Okinawa police arrested a 20-year-old US Marine stationed at Futenma on suspicion of killing a woman in a Naha hotel and taking her belongings. Japan protested to the US ambassador.
Okinawa prefectural police arrested a 20-year-old US Marine on Sunday on suspicion of robbing and killing a local woman, Kyodo reported through Nikkei Asia. The suspect, named as Davin Ballard and stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, is accused of killing Anna Yagi, 39, and taking her wallet and backpack in the early hours of Saturday at a hotel in Naha. Police said he has denied the charges.
Kyodo said Ballard was seen entering the hotel with Yagi, who was found dead on Saturday morning. An officer questioned and detained him while he was walking alone in Naha's entertainment district late Saturday. Police said they would investigate with the US military. The Guardian, citing police and NBC, identified the suspect as Lance Cpl Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, and the victim as Anna Yagi. Spelling of the given name differs between the Kyodo and Guardian accounts.
Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi lodged a protest on Sunday morning with US Ambassador George Glass, the Foreign Ministry said. Glass told Funakoshi the United States would cooperate with the investigation and take measures to prevent a recurrence, according to the ministry. Glass also wrote that he had called Okinawa Governor Genta Koja to offer condolences and pledge cooperation.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan had protested and called the crime exceptionally brutal, the Guardian reported. The government asked the United States for maximum cooperation, stricter discipline of US personnel and steps to stop a repeat.
Crimes by US personnel have long fueled protests on Okinawa, where a large share of American bases in Japan is concentrated. The case remained at the arrest stage on Sunday; no court finding had been reported.