The detention of a US soldier in Okinawa on suspicion of murder sparked reactions

The detention of a US marine on Japan's Okinawa island, accused of killing a 39-year-old woman and stealing her belongings, reignited long-standing reactions against the US military presence on the island.

U.S. Marine Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, was taken into custody by Okinawa police on Sunday.

Japanese officials announced that the suspect was being held under Japan's jurisdiction because the incident was not related to Ballard's official military duty.

Okinawa police reported that 39-year-old Anna Yagi was found dead in a hotel room in the city of Naha on the morning of October 3.

According to the police, security camera footage shows a man who is considered a suspect entering the hotel with Yagi and then leaving alone with the woman's belongings. Japanese media reported that Yagi may have been strangled with a cable.

It was stated that Ballard served at Futenma Marine Corps Air Base in Okinawa.

“DID MY FIRST REACTION HAPPEN AGAIN?”

The incident brought the anger that has accumulated in Okinawa against crimes involving US soldiers to the agenda again for years.

Speaking to the BBC, 52-year-old Ai Sato said that when he heard the news, his first reaction was "Again?" He said it was.

Sato said, "Nothing has changed since my childhood. How many more times will we experience the same thing, how many more victims will be sacrificed, how many more families will suffer?" he said.

Akemi Oshiro, 62, who lives in the city of Ginowan, had a similar reaction and said she was no longer surprised by the recurrence of such incidents.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi announced that an official protest was sent to the Washington administration following the incident. Takaichi described the incident as a "heinous crime" in his speech in parliament.

But some Okinawa residents think a diplomatic protest alone is not enough.

Sato said Takaichi should meet directly with US President Donald Trump and demand concrete measures to prevent the recurrence of similar events.

PROTESTS IN NAHA AND TOKYO

Following the murder allegation, protests were held in both Naha, the capital of Okinawa, and Tokyo.

In the demonstrations attended by approximately 100 people, tougher measures were demanded against the crimes committed by US soldiers. Messages of "Enough is enough" were also shared on social media.

There are approximately 55 thousand US soldiers in Japan, and the region where they are most densely deployed is Okinawa.

Although Okinawa is one of Japan's smallest prefectures in terms of surface area, approximately 70 percent of the land in the country reserved for the use of the US military is located here.

The island came under the control of the USA after the Second World War, and was handed over to Japan again in 1972.

According to data from the Okinawa local government, 6,409 detentions have been made for crimes related to US military personnel since 1972.

PAST CRIMES ARE STILL IN MEMORIES

The US military presence on the island has long attracted criticism, especially due to incidents such as sexual assault, violence, drunk driving, plane crashes and noise.

In 1995, three US soldiers kidnapped, beat and raped a 12-year-old girl. The incident sparked major protests across Okinawa.

In 2016, a former US marine who raped and killed a 20-year-old Okinawan woman was sentenced to life imprisonment.

In 2025, a US marine was convicted of sexually assaulting a Japanese woman by strangling her.

Speaking to the BBC, Hitomi Miyagi, a mother of two, said that even though 80 years have passed since the Second World War, people living in Okinawa still do not feel safe.

Miyagi said, "We will not stop raising our voices for an Okinawa where we can live in peace."