A US marine stationed in Japan has been indicted on charges of murdering a woman in Okinawa earlier this month, amid growing anger among residents over crimes involving US military personnel.
Tokyo-based Kyodo News reported that Devin Ballard, 20, strangled a 39-year-old woman with a telephone cord at a hotel in Naha on October 3 and stole her backpack.
Police found Ballard walking alone in Okinawa City later that day and arrested him the following day on suspicion of robbery and murder.
On Sunday, public prosecutors in Okinawa Prefecture indicted him on robbery and murder charges.
The Japanese government lodged a strong protest with Washington, while Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the latest case as a “heinous crime.”
Okinawa Governor Genta Koja also called on the central government to take preventive measures.
Tokyo urged Washington to fully cooperate with the investigation and ensure strict discipline among US military personnel.
Following Ballard’s arrest, the US military in Okinawa imposed a 30-day curfew on October 9, restricting personnel from leaving their bases between midnight and 5 a.m.
The case has renewed concerns among Okinawa residents over the presence of US military installations in the prefecture, where crimes involving American service members, including offenses against women and girls, have fueled public anger.
Residents have also raised concerns about noise and pollution associated with the bases.
The United States has around 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, most of them on the subtropical southern island of Okinawa.
According to Japanese media reports citing National Police Agency data, police handled 4,998 criminal cases involving US military personnel and their family members between 1989 and May 2026. Of those, 2,447 occurred in Okinawa Prefecture, accounting for nearly half of the total.
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