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Akbar Novruz

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Japan has lodged a strong protest with the United States after a US Marine stationed in Okinawa was arrested on suspicion of robbing and murdering a local woman at a hotel.

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi expressed anger over the case, describing the alleged crime as “absolutely outrageous and unforgivable.”

“This is an absolutely outrageous and unforgivable incident. We feel deep anger,” Koizumi said.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi also protested to Washington, calling the incident “extremely brutal and vicious” and demanding maximum US cooperation with the investigation as well as stricter discipline and measures to prevent similar incidents.

Okinawa Prefectural Police arrested 20-year-old US Marine Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard on Sunday on suspicion of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi and stealing her belongings at a hotel in Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture.

Ballard is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma and is assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force. He has denied the allegations, according to police.

Police suspect the killing occurred in the early hours of Saturday. Investigators said Yagi entered the hotel with Ballard at around 2:10 a.m. She was later discovered dead in the room after the checkout time had passed.

Investigators also found that Yagi's backpack, wallet and other belongings were missing from the hotel room. Some of the items were subsequently recovered near the hotel.

Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi lodged a protest with US Ambassador to Japan George Glass following the Marine's arrest. Glass pledged full US cooperation with the investigation and offered condolences to the victim's family.

The US Marine Corps said it was “actively cooperating with Japanese authorities” and stressed that it takes allegations of serious criminal conduct by its personnel seriously. Ballard remains in Japanese custody.

The case has renewed attention on the US military presence in Okinawa, where the conduct of American service members has periodically triggered public anger and protests. Most of the roughly 18,000 US Marines stationed in Japan are based in the prefecture.