Okinawa Governor Demands US Military Discipline After Marine Accused Of Murder

Okinawa Governor Genta Koja on Wednesday demanded stronger disciplinary measures against US service members stationed on the southern Japanese island after a US Marine was arrested over the alleged robbery and murder of a local woman.

Koja, who took office last month and was visiting Tokyo for the first time as governor, met Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi and expressed outrage over the killing. He also urged the central government to do more to reduce Okinawa’s burden from hosting US military bases.

Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, a 20-year-old Ohio native assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, was arrested over the weekend on suspicion of strangling 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel and stealing her wallet and backpack. Japanese media reported that Ballard has denied the allegations.

“Okinawa has requested preventive measures every time similar crimes were repeated in past, and now we have this case again,” Koja told Koizumi during their meeting.

He said previous disciplinary measures and human rights education introduced by the US military had “not worked at all” and called for more effective preventive steps.

Koizumi said he understood Okinawa’s concerns and that the Japanese government would work with the US side to discuss measures to prevent similar incidents.

The US military in Okinawa announced a 48-hour pause in all military training operations through noon Friday. During that period, troops will face restrictions on leaving their bases and a ban on alcohol consumption.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, said in a letter posted Tuesday on X that incidents such as the killing “demand we pause for reflection”. He added that serving on Okinawa “comes with responsibility”.

Following the two-day training pause, US troops on Okinawa will face a midnight-to-5 am curfew for 30 days.

More than 50,000 US troops are stationed in Japan under a bilateral security agreement, with a majority based in Okinawa. The island has long opposed the heavy US military presence, citing noise, pollution and crime associated with the bases. At the same time, some residents have increasingly recognised their strategic importance amid what is widely regarded as a growing threat from China.

Koja was also scheduled to meet Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi later Wednesday to make similar demands.