A US Marine stationed on Japan’s Okinawa island has been arrested on suspicion of murdering a Japanese woman, according to local police.
Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, is accused of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel in Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture. Police said the suspect allegedly took Yagi’s wallet and backpack after the incident.
Ballard has denied the allegations, police said. He was taken into custody after investigators reportedly linked him to a man seen entering a hotel room with a woman in security camera footage.
The arrest has renewed concerns in Okinawa, where the presence of US military personnel has long been a sensitive issue. The island hosts around 70 percent of US military facilities in Japan, despite representing a much smaller share of the country’s territory.
US Ambassador George Glass expressed condolences and pledged full cooperation with Japanese authorities. The US Marine Corps also said it was taking the allegations seriously and cooperating with the investigation.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the incident exceptionally brutal and urged the United States to provide maximum cooperation. She also called for stricter discipline among US military personnel and stronger measures to prevent similar incidents.
Japan’s Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said incidents involving US military personnel cause serious concern among local communities and must not be allowed to continue.
Okinawa has experienced repeated controversies involving US service members, including allegations of sexual assault, violence and traffic-related deaths. In 2017, a former US Marine and civilian base worker was sentenced to life in prison for the rape and murder of a local woman.
The latest case could add further pressure to relations between Japan and the United States as authorities continue investigating the circumstances surrounding Yagi’s death.
