US Marine arrested over suspected murder-robbery in Okinawa

TOKYO – A 20-year-old US Marine was arrested on Oct 4 in Okinawa prefecture on suspicion of robbing and murdering a local woman, police said.

Davin 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 Oct 3 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 the morning of Oct 3, the police said.

Japanese Vice-Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi lodged a protest on the morning of Oct 4 with US Ambassador George Glass over the Marine’s alleged involvement in the case, the Foreign Ministry said.

In their telephone conversation, Glass told Funakoshi that the US side will fully cooperate with the investigation and take all measures it can to prevent a recurrence, the ministry said.

Glass wrote in a post on X that he had called Okinawa Governor Genta Koja “offering our sincere condolences and pledging full cooperation as the investigation continues.”

The US Embassy in Tokyo also said on X: “We extend our sincere condolences to the victim’s family.”

“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,” it said.

The US Marine Corps said in a statement it was “actively cooperating with Japanese authorities in response to allegations of serious criminal actions by a Marine”.

A police officer questioned and detained the suspect when he was walking alone on a street in Naha’s entertainment district late on Oct 3. KYODO NEWS