US military personnel stationed in Okinawa have been placed under a month-long curfew and banned from drinking alcohol following the alleged murder of a Japanese woman in Naha. The measures come as tensions grow over the long-standing presence of US forces on the Japanese island.
The suspect, 20-year-old US Marine Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, is accused of killing and robbing 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel in Naha on Saturday. Japanese police said Ballard denied the allegations.
US forces in Okinawa will also suspend military operations for 48 hours while personnel receive additional training focused on standards, discipline and conduct. Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson said maintaining trust with local communities is essential to the strength of the US-Japan alliance and regional security.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the incident as extremely serious and said she had strongly protested to the United States. She also demanded measures to prevent similar crimes from happening again.
According to police information reported by Stars and Stripes, Yagi died from asphyxiation after the suspect allegedly applied pressure to her neck. Hotel employees discovered her unconscious after she failed to check out. Police later launched a major search after surveillance footage reportedly showed the suspect entering the hotel with the victim.
The incident has renewed concerns about the US military presence in Okinawa, where residents have previously protested over aircraft noise, accidents and crimes involving service members.
Okinawa Governor Genta Koja is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Takaichi to discuss the government’s response. The case could also affect plans to relocate some Marines from the crowded Futenma base to Henoko, an issue that has remained controversial among local residents for years.
