US soldier detained in connection with the murder of a Japanese woman in Okinawa

The soldier denies the allegations

The body of 39-year-old Japanese woman Anna Yagi was found on Saturday morning local time. 20-year-old David Bollard was arrested the next day in the city of Naha, reported the Japanese Kyodo agency.

Bollard serves at the Futenma base in Okinawa. Before the victim's body was found, the man was seen entering the hotel with Yagi. According to the police, the soldier is also suspected of stealing the dead woman's wallet and backpack. The suspect denies the allegations.

Japan turns to the US

Due to the incident, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs transferred the protest to US Ambassador George Glass. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called on the authorities in Washington for "maximum cooperation" in the ongoing investigation, as well as to introduce "strict discipline" among American soldiers and tighten military security.

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said on Sunday on the X platform that it was aware of the situation and assured that "the United States government remains in close cooperation with the government of Japan and local authorities."

American soldiers in Japan

Most of the approx. 19 thousand U.S. Marines stationed in Japan are deployed to Okinawa. According to Reuters, the woman's murder may complicate Takaichi's efforts to relocate some of his soldiers to a base in the village of Henoko on the same island.

The presence of US forces in Okinawa, located about 600 km east of Taiwan, is seen by Tokyo and Washington as a key element in deterring potential military aggression from China.