Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has condemned the alleged killing of a woman in Okinawa by a US Marine, calling it a “heinous crime” and demanding tougher discipline and measures to prevent a recurrence. The incident has also reignited public anger and protests over long-time American military presence.
The controversy erupted on Sunday after Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, was arrested on suspicion of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in Naha and stealing her wallet and backpack. Security footage showed the man entering the hotel with Yagi and later leaving alone with what appeared to be her belongings. Ballard has denied the accusations.
Addressing parliament on Monday, Takaichi called the case “extremely regrettable” and a “heinous crime,” urging Washington to fully cooperate with the investigation and prevent similar incidents in the future. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned US Ambassador George Glass, while Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi separately summoned US Forces Japan commander Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost to lodge protests.
Okinawa Governor Genta Koja also called the case “absolutely unacceptable,” adding that “efforts to enforce discipline among US military personnel and provide human rights education are not working.”
The US embassy in Japan extended its “sincere condolences to the victim’s family,” adding that US officials are cooperating with Japanese authorities. The Third Marine Expeditionary Force stated that the “Marine Corps takes these allegations very seriously and expects every Marine to adhere to the highest standards of behavior.”
Neither President Donald Trump nor senior cabinet officials, including Secretary of War Pete Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, have publicly commented on the case.
The case also sparked backlash from Okinawa residents, with about 160 people rallying in Naha, the capital city of the prefecture, condemning the killing and renewing calls for US bases to be removed from the island.
The anger over US military presence on Okinawa – which has been there since 1945 – has been simmering for several decades. Despite accounting for only about 0.6% of Japan’s territory, Okinawa hosts roughly 70% of the country’s US-exclusive military facility area.
Crimes involving US personnel have repeatedly triggered major protests. In 1995, three US servicemen abducted and raped a 12-year-old Okinawan girl, fueling mass demonstrations. In 2016, former Marine and US base worker Kenneth Franklin Gadson raped and murdered 20-year-old Rina Shimabukuro and was later sentenced to life imprisonment.
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