A U.S. service member was arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery after a Japanese woman’s body was discovered in a hotel in Okinawa, local officials said, describing the alleged killing as a heinous incident that prompted the Japanese government to lodge a protest with the United States. Shinjiro Koizumi, the Japanese minister of defense, said a U.S. Marine lance corporal was arrested on Sunday after the woman’s body was found early on Saturday in Naha, the capital city of the Okinawa prefecture. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the Okinawa Prefectural Police were investigating the incident as a murder. The occurrence of such an extremely brutal and heinous incident is a matter of profound regret, and as the government of Japan, they lodged a strong protest with the U.S. side, she noted on social media. NHK, Japan’s public broadcaster, identified the suspect as 20-year-old Devin Jacob Ballard, who was stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, a base a few miles outside Naha. The broadcaster identified the victim as 39-year-old Yagi Anna, stating she was pronounced dead at the scene. U.S. officials did not immediately confirm the identity of the service member who was arrested, nor did they clarify if formal charges had been filed. The III Marine Expeditionary Force stated that they were actively cooperating with Japanese authorities regarding allegations of serious criminal actions by an assigned Marine, while extending deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends. Tens of thousands of U.S. troops are stationed across Japan, including in Okinawa, which houses multiple American bases. The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo stated that it was aware of the incident, expressed condolences to the bereaved family, and emphasized that the United States government continues to cooperate closely with Japanese authorities as investigations proceed. U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass noted he had spoken with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Okinawa’s governor, confirming that his office is providing full cooperation into the death investigation.
Source: abcnews.com
