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Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has called the killing of a Japanese woman on Okinawa, allegedly by a 20-year-old US Marine, a “heinous crime” amid protests and growing outrage across Japan.
Getting into it: Okinawa police accuse Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi in a Naha hotel early Saturday and taking her wallet and backpack. Japanese media reported she was strangled, and security footage allegedly showed her walking into a room with a man who later left by himself. Police arrested Ballard later Saturday after a patrolling officer recognized his shaved head and arm tattoos from the footage, and sent him to prosecutors Monday.
He has denied the allegations, and because the alleged crime happened while he was off duty in a civilian area, he will stay in Japanese custody. A conviction for robbery and murder carries a possible sentence of life in prison or death.
Takaichi said Japan has urged the US to “provide maximum cooperation with the investigation, enforce stricter discipline among US military personnel, and take thorough measures to prevent the recurrence of similar crimes.” Japan’s foreign and defense ministries also called in the US ambassador and the top US military commander in Japan to lodge a protest.
Newly elected Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja called the killing “absolutely unforgivable” and said it shows US efforts to improve discipline have failed. On Sunday, about 100 protesters gathered outside Okinawa’s government building, shouting, “How much longer do we have to bear all of this?”
This all comes as Okinawa police counted 101 crimes tied to US troops last year, up from about 40 in 2020. The island, home to most of the roughly 54,000 US troops in Japan, is also taking on a bigger role in Japan’s defense strategy. Koja, who supports the bases and ran with backing from Takaichi’s party, took office just days ago amid hopes of finally moving the Futenma base to a less populated part of the island.
