U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa arrested on suspicion of robbery and murder of a local woman... Strong protest by Japanese government

(Tokyo = Yonhap News) Correspondent Cho Seong-mi = When a U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan was arrested on charges of robbery and murder against a local woman, the Japanese government protested to the U.S. and urged it to prevent a recurrence.

According to Kyodo News and NHK on the 4th, Okinawa Prefectural Police arrested Private Devin Jacob Ballard (20), a US Marine in Japan assigned to the Futenma Base, on charges of robbery and murder in connection with an incident in which a woman in her 30s was found dead at a Naha hotel the previous day.

According to local police, a woman in her 30s who lived in this city was found dead at a hotel in Naha City at around 4:30 a.m. the previous day.

The police believed that the woman had been murdered and tracked down the suspect based on nearby CCTV and the victim's abandoned belongings.

CCTV footage from around the scene reportedly shows a short-haired man, who appears to be a foreigner, staying with a woman and then leaving the hotel with her belongings.

The suspect reportedly denied the charges during police investigation.

It has been reported that the Japanese side has secured a new suspect and is investigating the circumstances of the incident, and plans to cooperate with the U.S. military investigative agency.

In Okinawa, where hostility has continued due to the stationing of U.S. military bases, the Japanese government also strongly criticized the arrest of a U.S. soldier on charges of murdering a local resident.

Regarding the arrest of the marines, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi posted a message on

Prime Minister Takaichi added, "The Japanese government strongly protested to the U.S. while also strongly requesting maximum cooperation in the investigation, establishment of discipline among the U.S. military, and prevention of recurrence of incidents and accidents."

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi met with reporters in Yokozuka City, Kanagawa Prefecture on this day and said, "It is unacceptable and I feel strong anger," and that he had protested to the United States at the Ministry of Defense level.

Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi also called U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass to protest after the incident became known.

Ambassador Glass expressed deep regret and said, "We will fully cooperate with the Japanese authorities' investigation and take all possible measures to prevent a recurrence," Kyodo News reported.

Ambassador Glass posted an article in Japanese and English to

The U.S. 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, headquartered in Okinawa Prefecture, also said in a statement expressing condolences to the victims' families, "We take this incident seriously."