Anger in Japan grows after US Marine is arrested over the killing of a woman on Okinawa
Japanese prosecutors are reviewing whether to file charges after police said the Marine denied strangling a 39-year-old woman and stealing her belongings.
- On Saturday, Okinawa police arrested U.S. Marine Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, for allegedly strangling 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a Naha hotel; security footage confirmed his presence, and he was apprehended later that day in Okinawa City.
- Okinawa hosts 70% of America's military facilities in Japan, fueling long-standing resentment among residents. U.S. military-related criminal cases rose to 101 last year from about 40 in 2020, according to prefectural police.
- About 160 residents protested in Naha on Sunday, demanding base removal. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi demanded "full cooperation with the investigation" and "strict discipline among US military personnel."
- On Monday, Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja summoned III Marine Expeditionary Force commander Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson and U.S. Consul General Andrew Ou, demanding effective preventive measures. Japanese prosecutors are examining whether to press formal charges in coming weeks.
- U.S. Ambassador George Glass expressed condolences Sunday and pledged "full cooperation" with investigators. Officials said the United States aims to strengthen trust with Japanese partners and base-hosting communities.
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Devin Ballard, a 20-year-old U.S. Army private, was arrested in Okinawa on Saturday. He faces charges of murdering 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel in Naha. The news has sparked outrage in Japan, with local Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also speaking out.
The alleged murder by US Marine on Okinawa: five things to know
Here are five things to know about the latest case and Okinawa's thorny relations with the US military bases. What happened? Police said Sunday that a US Marine stationed on Okinawa was arrested on suspicion of killing a 39-year-old woman at a hotel in the city of Naha and stealing her wallet. Local media reported she was choked to death and that the Marine is denying the allegations. Why are so many bases concentrated in Okinawa? Despite compr…
Japanese police arrested a U.S. Marine for the alleged robbery and murder of a woman in Okinawa, officials reported on Sunday, the most recent criminal case on the island where the strong presence of U.S. troops has been a sensitive issue.
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