Japan PM presses US after marine arrested over murder-robbery of woman

A 20-year-old US marine was arrested on Sunday in Japan’s Okinawa prefecture on suspicion of robbing and murdering a local woman, police said.

Davin Ballard stationed at the Futenma Airbase is suspected of killing Anna Yagi, 39, and taking her wallet and backpack in the early hours of Saturday at a hotel in Naha, according to the Okinawa prefectural police. The suspect has denied the charges, they added.

Ballard was seen entering the hotel with Yagi, who was found dead on Saturday morning, the police said.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in a social media post that it is “extremely regrettable” that such a heinous crime occurred and that her government has asked for full US cooperation in the investigation and the strengthening of military discipline.

Japanese Vice-Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi lodged a protest on Sunday morning with US Ambassador George Glass against the marine’s alleged involvement in the case, the foreign ministry said.

In their telephone conversation, Glass told Funakoshi that the US side would fully cooperate with the investigation and take all measures it can to prevent a recurrence, the ministry said.

Glass wrote in a post on social media that he had called Okinawa Governor Genta Koja, “offering our sincere condolences and pledging full cooperation as the investigation continues”.

The US embassy in Tokyo also said on social media, “We extend our sincere condolences to the victim’s family.”

“As an investigation is under way to determine the facts of the case, the United States is communicating and cooperating with the Government of Japan and local authorities,” it said.

The US Marine Corps said in a statement it was “actively cooperating with Japanese authorities in response to allegations of serious criminal actions by a marine”.

A police officer questioned and detained the suspect when he was walking alone on a street in Naha’s entertainment district late on Saturday.

Most of the 18,000 Japan-based marines are stationed in Okinawa, which the US held from the end of second world war until 1972. Their ⁠presence has repeatedly stirred resentment among residents over issues such as noise, aircraft crashes and ⁠the conduct of personnel.

The 1995 rape of a 12-year-old Okinawan girl by three US servicemen sparked mass protests.

Additional reporting by Reuters