Japan lodged a strong protest with the United States on Sunday after a US Marine was arrested in connection with the alleged murder and robbery of a Japanese woman in Okinawa.
Davin Ballard, 20, was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi and taking her wallet and backpack at a hotel in Naha, according to Okinawa prefectural police. Ballard has denied the allegations.
Police said Ballard was seen entering the hotel with Yagi before she was found dead on Saturday morning.
Following the arrest, Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi lodged a formal protest with US Ambassador to Japan George Glass.
According to Japan’s Foreign Ministry, Glass pledged that the United States would fully cooperate with the investigation and take measures aimed at preventing similar incidents.
The US Embassy in Japan confirmed that an American service member was in custody following the death of a Japanese national in Okinawa. It said an investigation was underway to establish the facts and that US authorities were cooperating with Japanese and local officials.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the incident as “extremely regrettable” and said Tokyo was demanding full US cooperation with the investigation, stronger discipline among American military personnel and measures to prevent a recurrence.
The case is likely to renew scrutiny of the US military presence in Okinawa, which hosts the majority of US military facilities in Japan.
Around 50,000 US military personnel are stationed in Japan under the longstanding security alliance between Tokyo and Washington.