Japan protests to top U.S. admiral over Okinawa killing

Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi lodged a strong protest with Adm. Samuel Paparo, commander of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, on Oct. 9 over the arrest of a U.S. Marine on suspicion of robbing and killing a woman on Okinawa.

The two met at Japan’s Ministry of Defense in Tokyo during Paparo’s visit, the ministry said. Koizumi demanded full U.S. cooperation with the police investigation, stricter discipline among American personnel and thorough measures to prevent further incidents and accidents. He also asked the U.S. side to respond appropriately to the victim’s family. Koizumi and Paparo also discussed security cooperation and agreed to keep working closely to strengthen the alliance, according to the ministry. Neither side released any statement from Paparo about the case.

Okinawa Prefectural Police arrested Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, early on Oct. 4 on suspicion of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa’s capital, early the previous morning and taking her wallet and backpack. Police said security camera footage showed a man entering the hotel with Yagi and leaving alone with her belongings. Officers later spotted Ballard walking in an entertainment district in Okinawa City and arrested him. Police said Yagi died of asphyxiation, and Ballard has denied the allegations, according to Japanese police. Ballard is a combat engineer with Marine Wing Support Squadron 172 at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the killing as extremely brutal and heinous, and Japan’s government lodged a protest with Washington shortly after the arrest. Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja summoned U.S. and Japanese officials over the case.

The U.S. military on Okinawa responded with some of its broadest restrictions in years. Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force and the senior U.S. officer on the island, ordered a 48-hour operational pause starting Oct. 7, with no off-base liberty and a complete ban on alcohol on or off base, while commanders held training on standards and discipline. From Oct. 9, all U.S. personnel on Okinawa are under a 30-day curfew requiring them to be in their quarters or off-base homes from midnight to 5 a.m. U.S. Forces Japan is also reviewing its liberty policies and will make recommendations to a joint coordinating committee.

The case has sparked protests on Okinawa and outside the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo. Okinawa hosts most of the roughly 60,000 U.S. troops in Japan, and crimes involving American personnel have long strained relations between residents, the prefectural government and Tokyo. Prefectural police said arrests involving U.S. service members and their families exceeded 100 last year.