A US Marine stationed in Okinawa, Japan, was recently suspected of killing a local woman. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed “sincere condolences” to Japanese Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi on Saturday (October 10) and promised that both the US and Japan would maintain full communication and cooperate comprehensively in the investigation.
In a statement by the US State Department, Rubio not only discussed the Okinawa case with Motegi but also mentioned that the actions of the International Criminal Court (ICC) posed a threat to US sovereignty, therefore necessitating sanctions against it. Both sides pledged to continue close coordination prior to the Group of Twenty (G20) Foreign Ministers Meeting scheduled in Atlanta on October 30.
On the same day, the Japanese Foreign Ministry confirmed that Motegi had a 15-minute phone call with Rubio. Motegi reiterated Japan’s position and expressed regret over the occurrence of the murder case, with both the US and Japan agreeing to consult on adopting more effective measures to prevent similar incidents from recurring.
The Foreign Ministry also stated that Motegi conveyed Japan’s position on recent US sanctions against the ICC to Rubio, and both parties agreed to maintain close communication on this matter. They unanimously acknowledged the need to further strengthen the Japan-US alliance in the face of a severe security environment.
According to information from the Okinawa Prefectural Police, 20-year-old US Marine stationed at Camp Foster, Devin Jacob Ballard, allegedly committed robbery and strangled 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa, in the early hours of October 3. He was arrested on October 4 and handed over to the Naha Public Prosecutors Office. However, Ballard denied the related accusations.
Following the incident, Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takichi called the case “extremely brutal and appalling” and requested full cooperation from the United States in the investigation. On October 5, Okinawa Governor Genta Koja urged the Japanese central government to take more effective measures and protested against Lieutenant General Benjamin Watson, the commander of the US Third Marine Expeditionary Force and the Okinawa Area Coordinator.
Subsequently, Watson ordered a 48-hour comprehensive alcohol ban and a temporary suspension of leaving the base for US military personnel, followed by a 30-day curfew, mandating that officers and soldiers must stay in designated dormitories or off-base residences from midnight to 5 a.m. The US military stated that this action was taken to restore trust between the US forces and the local residents in Okinawa.
Currently, approximately 54,000 US military personnel are stationed in Japan, with around 18,000 Marines stationed in Okinawa. Cases involving US military personnel in criminal activities have long been a sensitive issue in the US-Japan alliance, repeatedly sparking criticism from local residents towards the US military presence; this murder case has also sparked protests in Japan.