04/10/2026
Okinawa, Japan🇯🇵U.S. Marine arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder in Okinawa
A 20-year-old U.S. Marine was arrested Sunday in Okinawa Prefecture on suspicion of robbing and murdering a local woman, police said, prompting Japan to lodge an immediate protest with the United States and sparking outrage from the governor of the island prefecture, which hosts a heavy U.S. military presence.
Devin Ballard stationed at the Futenma Air Base is suspected of killing Anna Yagi, 39, and taking her wallet and backpack in the early hours of Saturday at a hotel in Naha, according to the Okinawa prefectural police. The suspect has denied the charges, they added.
Ballard was seen entering the hotel with Yagi, who was found dead on Saturday morning, the police said, adding that she died from suffocation.
A police officer questioned and detained the suspect as he walked alone on a street in Naha's entertainment district late Saturday.
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said in an X post that it is "extremely regrettable" that such a heinous crime occurred and that her government has asked for full U.S. cooperation in the investigation and the strengthening of military discipline.
Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass to the ministry and lodged a "strong protest."
Motegi expressed strong anger over what he described as a "brutal and heinous" crime, demanding full cooperation with the investigation and urging the U.S. side to strengthen discipline and take preventive measures, according to the Japanese Foreign Ministry.
Glass vowed that the U.S. government will fully cooperate with Japanese authorities in their investigation, adding that the U.S. side will do everything they can to prevent similar incidents, the ministry said.
Glass earlier wrote in a post on X that he had called Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja "offering our sincere condolences and pledging full cooperation as the investigation continues."
Koja, who became Okinawa governor last month, said the incident had caused a "tremendous shock" to the people of Okinawa.
"It is utterly unacceptable and extremely outrageous," Koja said in a statement.
Past crimes involving U.S. service members have angered residents in Okinawa, which hosts the bulk of U.S. military installations in Japan.
The latest development comes as construction work continues to relocate a U.S. military base within the prefecture despite persistent local opposition.
The U.S. Marine Corps said in a statement it was "actively cooperating with Japanese authorities in response to allegations of serious criminal actions by a Marine."
