Tuesday, 02 January 2024 12:17 GMT

Japan Lodges Protest Over Alleged Okinawa Murder by US Marine


(MENAFN) Japan lodged a strong protest with the US ambassador to Tokyo on Sunday over the alleged robbery and killing of a woman in Okinawa involving a US Marine.

Davin Ballard, 20, was arrested Sunday, according to reports.

Okinawa prefectural police suspect Ballard of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi and taking her wallet and backpack at a hotel in Naha early Saturday. Ballard has denied the allegations.

Police said surveillance footage showed Ballard entering the hotel with Yagi, who was later found dead there Saturday morning.

Japan’s Vice Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi delivered the protest to US Ambassador George Glass during a meeting Sunday morning.

Glass said the United States would cooperate fully with the investigation and take every possible step to prevent a similar incident from happening again, according to Japan’s Foreign Ministry.

The US Embassy in Japan said a US service member was in custody following the death of a Japanese citizen in Okinawa and that authorities were working to "determine the facts of the case" while cooperating with Japanese and local officials.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the incident as "extremely regrettable" and said Tokyo was seeking full cooperation with the investigation, tighter discipline among US military personnel and measures to prevent similar incidents in the future.

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