Suspected of Robbery and Murder, More Details Revealed! US Soldier Stationed in Okinawa Indicted in Homicide Case

[Global Times Special Correspondent Qing Gui] According to a report by the Asahi Shimbun on the 25th, the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office in Okinawa Prefecture has filed charges of robbery and murder against U.S. Army soldier Devon Ballard. The 20-year-old Ballard is a private first class in the U.S. Marine Corps, serving at the U.S. military's Futenma base in Ginowan City, Okinawa Prefecture. According to the prosecution's indictment, he is suspected of using a telephone cord to strangle a local woman to death in a hotel in Naha City in the early hours of the 3rd of this month and stealing the victim's backpack.

According to the Okinawa Prefectural Police, after committing the crime, Ballard returned to the U.S. military base and then left the camp again. He was arrested by the police on the streets on the 4th and transferred to the prosecutors on the 5th. During the initial hearing, the suspect largely remained silent and denied committing the crime, but subsequent statements somewhat corroborated his involvement in the case.

As the investigation deepened, multiple witnesses reconstructed the events of the case. It is reported that Ballard had been drinking in the "Daimon-dori" district about three hours before entering the hotel. Around 3 a.m. after the incident, he took a taxi back to the U.S. military base. Upon arrival, he presented his identification and was allowed to enter the base smoothly.

According to the U.S. Marine Corps stationed in Okinawa, Ballard enlisted in August 2024 and was deployed to Okinawa after completing training in the U.S. His relatives in the U.S. told the Yomiuri Shimbun that Ballard voluntarily enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from high school and was mainly responsible for maintaining aircraft runways during his time in Okinawa. One relative expressed, "I really can't imagine he would commit such a heinous crime; I am eager to know the truth."

Crimes committed by U.S. soldiers continue unabated, exacerbating the resentment of the Okinawan people. A local shop owner who provided key surveillance footage to the police expressed outrage, stating that the promises made by both Japan and the U.S. to "prevent reoffending" lack credibility. Under the pressure of public protests in Japan, the Okinawa Prefectural Assembly passed a resolution on the 9th with a majority in favor, protesting to the U.S. government and the U.S. military, and submitted a related opinion paper to the Japanese government.

Since the incident occurred outside the U.S. military base, it is classified as a non-official crime. According to the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, Japan has priority jurisdiction. However, some Japanese citizens have expressed concerns: "I hope the commander of the U.S. military base does not go easy on Ballard just because he is 'one of their own'; he must be severely punished. After all, in the U.S., there probably won't even be a trial."

According to local media in Okinawa, the case will be tried under the "lay judge system" (a panel consisting of professional judges and citizen representatives). Naha District Public Prosecutor's Office Deputy Prosecutor Hiroshi Ishii stated, "We will fully carry out the work of argumentation and evidence presentation based on the law and evidence." The U.S. Marine Corps Third Expeditionary Force also issued a statement indicating that they will actively cooperate with the Japanese investigation and extend condolences to the victim's family and friends. The Japanese Ministry of Defense revealed that the U.S. military has implemented a 30-day ban on alcohol and restrictions on going out for U.S. soldiers participating in the "Sword 27" Japan-U.S. joint comprehensive exercise across Japan.

Japanese freelance journalist Akiyo Zayasu believes that the persistent crimes committed by U.S. soldiers stem from the fact that U.S. military control measures are merely internal regulations, and the Japanese government has neither the willingness nor the authority to verify the so-called "countermeasures," which is the root of the long-standing grievances of the Okinawan people.

The Japanese newspaper Hebei Shimbun published an editorial criticizing whether U.S. military measures can truly enforce discipline, which is indeed questionable. In fact, there have already been reports confirming that multiple U.S. soldiers have been detained for violating the "stay-at-home order." Furthermore, the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement has its flaws. According to the agreement, the U.S. has priority jurisdiction over the behavior of U.S. military personnel on the base, but Japan can still assert jurisdiction in important cases involving public safety; in practice, the U.S. usually hands over suspects to Japan before prosecution, as is the case here.

Data shows that there are approximately 55,000 U.S. troops stationed in Japan, with the small island of Okinawa housing 70% of the U.S. military's dedicated facilities in Japan. According to local statistics, since 1972, there have been 6,409 cases of U.S. military personnel in Okinawa being arrested for involvement in crimes. Issues such as rape, violent crime, drunk driving incidents, and noise disturbances caused by the U.S. military presence have led to ongoing protests from the public.

In 2025, a U.S. Marine was sentenced to seven years in prison by the Naha District Court for strangling a Japanese woman and committing sexual assault. Okinawa resident Toshiko Hirano stated, "Considering that the suspect is a U.S. Marine, I believe it cannot simply be treated as an individual crime. Because in Okinawa, the presence of U.S. military bases is closely related to various incidents, public safety issues, and the burdens caused by the bases."