US Marine Charged in Okinawa Murder and Theft
A 20-year-old US lance corporal stationed in Okinawa has been formally charged with the murder and robbery of a local woman, prompting renewed tensions over US military conduct in Japan.
Japanese prosecutors have filed formal charges against Devin Jacob Balled, a 20-year-old lance corporal of the US Marine Corps stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, for the fatal strangling of 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa, and for stealing her backpack and wallet, NHK reported.
Ballard was arrested on 4 October, a day after Yagi’s body was discovered. Surveillance footage showing a man entering a hotel room with a woman and later leaving with a bag matched his description, leading investigators to detain him. During initial questioning he denied involvement, stating, "I don’t know anything about it," but later statements were said to partially hint at his role.
The indictment was announced on Sunday, and Ballard has reportedly continued to deny the charges. A statement to Yagi’s family expressed hope that he will "confront what he has done and make amends commensurate with what he has done."
The case has reignited public protests in Okinawa and Tokyo, and prompted a curfew and alcohol ban for US service members on the island. Japan’s defence minister Shinjiro Koizumi said incidents involving US personnel cause great anxiety among the local community and must not be allowed to happen.
Crimes involving US troops in Japan, including previous assaults and traffic incidents, have long strained the bilateral relationship. In recent years, arrests of US military personnel in Japan have risen, with 80 arrests recorded in 2024, the highest in two decades.