US Marine in Japan arrested on suspicion of murder, local police say

Tokyo, Japan — 

A US Marine was arrested Sunday on suspicion of murder and robbery after a woman’s body was discovered in a hotel room in Japan, local police told CNN.

A 39-year-old woman was found unresponsive in her hotel room in Naha city on Okinawa island and pronounced dead at the scene early Saturday, Okinawa police said.

Police also told CNN that based on the condition of the woman’s body, she appeared to have been murdered, but did not provide any more details.

The 20-year-old Marine was stationed at Futenma Air Station, also on the island, police added.

CCTV footage reportedly showed a man, believed to be a foreign national, with a shaved head, entering the hotel room with the woman and later leaving the building with her belongings in hand, police said.

The US embassy in Tokyo said on X it was “aware that a US service member is in custody following the death of a Japanese national in Okinawa.”

“As an investigation is underway to determine the facts of the case, the United States is communicating and cooperating with the Government of Japan and local authorities,” the embassy added.

CNN has contacted the Pentagon and the US Marine Corps for comment.

The woman’s body was discovered at around 4.30 am local time on Saturday and the US Marine was arrested less than 24 hours later, at 1am local time, while walking around the city, the force added.

Police said an investigation is ongoing.

CNN’s Aleena Fayaz and Bruna Horvath contributed to this report.