US Marines stationed on Japan’s Okinawa island have been placed under a month-long curfew and banned from consuming alcohol following the arrest of a Marine accused of murdering a Japanese woman.The US Forces in Okinawa also suspended military operations for 48 hours from Wednesday to conduct training on standards and discipline, Reuters reported. Personnel have been restricted from leaving their bases for social activities during the period.Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, is suspected of killing Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, on Saturday. Police said Ballard allegedly took the woman’s wallet and backpack. He has dismissed the allegations.US military officials said the measures were aimed at reinforcing discipline and rebuilding trust with the local community. “Every interaction with our neighbors either builds or undermines the trust” essential to the alliance, Lt Gen Benjamin Watson said in a statement.
‘Brutal and heinous’
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the killing as “extremely brutal and heinous” and said Tokyo had strongly protested to the US over the incident. She called for measures to prevent similar cases in the future.Police said Yagi died of asphyxiation after Ballard allegedly pressed on her neck, according to Stars and Stripes. Hotel staff found her unconscious in her room after she failed to check out.Local media reported that around 200 police officers were involved in the search for Ballard after CCTV showed him entering the hotel with Yagi.The killing has renewed concerns in Okinawa over the large US military presence on the island, which has long been a source of tension among residents over noise, aircraft accidents and alleged misconduct by military personnel.Japan hosts the largest overseas contingent of US forces, with most of the roughly 18,000 US Marines stationed in Okinawa. The US controlled the island from the end of World War II until 1972.The latest incident could also complicate efforts to relocate some Marines from the crowded Futenma air base to a facility at Henoko. Okinawa, located about 100 km from Taiwan at its closest point, is considered strategically important by Japan and the US for deterring potential Chinese military action in the region.
