--- title: "U.S. Marine Is Arrested on Suspicion of Murdering a Woman in Okinawa" description: "Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi lodged a protest with Washington over the killing, which she called “extremely brutal and heinous”" author: "rews desk" published: 2026-10-04T08:59:58.193Z modified: 2026-10-04T09:58:39Z url: https://rews.cc/a/japan-protests-to-u-s-after-marine-is-arrested-on-suspicion--e1d548 language: en tags: ["murder", "okinawa", "us-military", "crime", "japan", "asia"] publisher: "Rews (https://rews.cc)" --- # U.S. Marine Is Arrested on Suspicion of Murdering a Woman in Okinawa *Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi lodged a protest with Washington over the killing, which she called “extremely brutal and heinous”* By rews desk · October 4, 2026 · https://rews.cc/a/japan-protests-to-u-s-after-marine-is-arrested-on-suspicion--e1d548 ## In brief - Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, was arrested in Okinawa on suspicion of murdering and robbing Anna Yagi, 39 - Ms. Yagi was found dead in a Naha hotel room at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday; Ballard was arrested at 1 a.m. Sunday - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi lodged a strong protest with the U.S., calling the killing “extremely brutal and heinous” - The Marine Corps said it was cooperating with Japanese authorities; Ballard denied the allegations - About 18,000 U.S. Marines are stationed in Japan, most in Okinawa, where past crimes by troops have fueled resentment A 20-year-old U.S. Marine was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of murdering and robbing a Japanese woman whose body was found in a hotel room in Naha, on the island of Okinawa, prompting Japan’s prime minister to lodge a formal protest with Washington. Police identified the Marine as Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, who was stationed at Futenma Air Station, a Marine Corps base a few miles outside Naha, the Okinawan capital. He is suspected of killing Anna Yagi, 39, and taking her wallet and backpack, local police told NBC News. Mr. Ballard denied the allegations, police said. Ms. Yagi was found unresponsive in her hotel room at about 4:30 a.m. on Saturday and pronounced dead at the scene, Okinawa police said. Based on the condition of her body, she appeared to have been murdered, the police told CNN, without giving further details. CCTV footage showed a man believed to be a foreign national, with a shaved head, entering the room with Ms. Yagi and later leaving the building with her belongings, police said. Mr. Ballard was arrested less than 24 hours after the body was discovered, at 1 a.m. on Sunday, while walking in the city. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the death as an alleged robbery and murder and said her government had demanded full cooperation with the investigation. “The occurrence of such an extremely brutal and heinous incident is a matter of profound regret, and as the Government of Japan, we have lodged a strong protest with the U.S. side,” she said in a statement posted on X. She also called for “thorough discipline among U.S. military personnel, and comprehensive measures to prevent the recurrence of crimes and accidents.” Japan’s Ministry of Defense said it was “deeply outraged by the extremely brutal and heinous crime committed by a U.S. Marine” and had made “a firm demand for stricter discipline, thorough measures to prevent recurrence.” The defense minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, confirmed the arrest. The U.S. Marine Corps extended condolences to Ms. Yagi’s family and said it took the allegations “very seriously and expects every Marine to adhere to the highest standards of behavior.” The III Marine Expeditionary Force, headquartered in Okinawa, said it was “actively cooperating with Japanese authorities” and that Mr. Ballard remained in the custody of local authorities while the investigation proceeded. The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said it was aware that a service member was in custody and that, with an investigation underway, “the United States is communicating and cooperating with the Government of Japan and local authorities.” George Glass, the U.S. ambassador to Japan, said he had spoken on Sunday morning with Japan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Okinawa’s governor, Genta Koja, “pledging full cooperation as the investigation continues.” U.S. officials did not immediately confirm Mr. Ballard’s identity, and it was not clear whether he had been formally charged in connection with the death. Japan’s public broadcaster NHK first identified him and the victim. Okinawa sits at the heart of American military strategy in the Pacific, just 60 miles from Taiwan at its closest point. Some 18,000 Marines are based in Japan, most of them on the island, which the United States occupied from the end of World War II until 1972. The presence has long stirred resentment among residents. Crimes by American personnel have repeatedly tested relations between Tokyo and Washington. In 1995, the abduction and rape of a 12-year-old girl by three U.S. servicemen brought tens of thousands of Okinawans into the streets and forced the two governments to discuss reducing the American footprint on the island. Police said their investigation into Ms. Yagi’s death was continuing. ## Sources - [Japan PM protests to US after Marine arrested on suspicion of murder in Okinawa](https://cnn.com/2026/10/04/asia/us-marine-murder-investigation-okinawa-hnk-intl) — cnn.com - [U.S. Marine arrested on suspicion of killing Japanese woman in Okinawa](https://nbcnews.com/world/japan/us-marine-arrested-suspicion-killing-japanese-woman-okinawa-rcna601367) — nbcnews.com - [US Marine arrested on suspicion of murder after 'brutal and heinous' death in Japan](https://yahoo.com/news/us/articles/us-marine-detained-connection-death-054900548.html) — yahoo.com