A U.S. Marine Corps lance corporal stationed in Okinawa, Japan, is under suspicion of murder and robbery in the local area. In response to this incident, the commander of the U.S. 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force issued orders on Tuesday, October 6th, for a 48-hour suspension of military operations, as well as comprehensive disciplinary measures, including a ban on alcohol. Starting from Friday, October 9th, a curfew will be imposed on active-duty personnel at the base, prohibiting them from going out between midnight and 5 a.m.
The 20-year-old U.S. Marine Corps lance corporal, Devin Jacob Ballard, was officially arrested by the Okinawa Prefectural Police on the early morning of Sunday, October 4th, for his alleged involvement in a robbery and murder case. He was then transferred to the Naha Public Prosecutors Office on Monday, October 5th. According to U.S. military records, Ballard is listed as “detained by a foreign judicial authority.”
Ballard, who was stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, is suspected of killing 39-year-old Japanese woman Anna Yagi. Yagi resided in Naha City, Okinawa. Police reported that Yagi entered a hotel room in the Wakasa area of Naha City with a foreign male around 2:10 a.m. on October 3rd but did not emerge by check-out time. When hotel staff entered the room, they found Yagi deceased. The cause of death was determined to be asphyxiation, with signs of strangulation or similar pressure on her neck.
Police also discovered that Yagi’s belongings, including her backpack and wallet, were taken. Surveillance footage showed the foreign male who was with Yagi leaving alone, carrying her belongings. Subsequently, police found Ballard walking alone in the vicinity of Okinawa City.
Japanese media reported that police identified Ballard based on his shaved head, tattoos on both arms, and other physical characteristics matching the man in the surveillance video. He was brought in for questioning and later formally arrested.
Following the incident, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takai called it a “heinous and appalling event” and requested full cooperation from the United States in the investigation. Okinawa Governor Genta Koja demanded more effective measures from the Japanese central government on October 5th, and lodged a protest with Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, commander of the U.S. 3rd Marine Expeditionary Force, at the Okinawa Prefectural Government Office.
On October 6th, Lt. Gen. Watson issued orders for the U.S. military personnel in Okinawa to suspend military operations for 48 hours, conduct disciplinary training, implement a comprehensive 48-hour alcohol ban (both on and off base, including private residences), suspend non-essential off-base activities, and then enforce a curfew from midnight to 5 a.m. for 30 days, while also enhancing supervision at all base entry and exit points. The U.S. military explicitly stated that these measures are aimed at restoring trust with the local residents of Okinawa.
Lt. Gen. Watson also serves as the liaison officer for the Okinawa region and is the highest-ranking military officer of the U.S. forces stationed in Okinawa. He emphasized that these restrictions are meant to remind military personnel that “freedom of movement is a privilege and a collective responsibility,” and urged all personnel to enhance their discipline.
In recent years, among the criminal cases involving U.S. military personnel in Okinawa, sexual crimes have garnered the most attention. In 2024, there were multiple cases brought to light, including a U.S. military personnel stationed at Kadena Air Base who was charged with kidnapping and sexually assaulting a minor in December 2023, later receiving a five-year prison sentence from a Japanese court. Additionally, two Marine Corps members faced prosecution for sexual assault and attempted sexual assault.
According to Okinawa Prefectural Police data, in 2024 there were at least six serious criminal cases involving U.S. military personnel in the area, with four related to sexual assault or attempted sexual assault, making it the highest number in a year since 2016.
In 2025, similar cases continued, with police transferring a Marine Corps member suspected of sexually assaulting and injuring a woman in November 2024 to the prosecutors’ office, but the prosecution later decided against charging him due to insufficient evidence. There were also other sexual assault allegations undergoing legal proceedings in Japan during the same year.