- US Marine Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard was arrested in Okinawa, Japan , on suspicion of robbing and murdering 39-year-old Japanese citizen Anna Yagi.
- Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi lodged strong protests with the U.S. government and demanded tighter discipline for American troops stationed in the country.
- Japanese Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi expressed deep outrage over the incident, which local police are treating as a robbery- murder .
- Ballard has denied the allegations, while the US embassy and US Marine Corps stated they are fully cooperating with Japanese authorities.
- The arrest renews longstanding local frustration over crimes committed by US military personnel in Okinawa and could complicate efforts to relocate the Futenma air base.
IN FULL
US marine, 20, accused of murdering and robbing Japanese woman at hotel in Okinawa
