US Marine indicted in Okinawa killing and robbery of Japanese woman
Why it matters: The case has reignited anger over the US troop presence on Okinawa and prompted Tokyo to press for tighter off-base rules.
Japanese prosecutors indicted a 20-year-old US Marine on murder and robbery charges over the death of a 39-year-old woman in Okinawa, according to court officials and Japanese media. Devin Jacob Ballard, stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, is accused of strangling Anna Yagi with a telephone cord at a hotel in Naha on Oct. 3 and taking her backpack and wallet. Reports citing investigators said Ballard initially denied involvement but later made statements suggesting a role in the case. The killing has triggered protests in Okinawa and Tokyo and renewed scrutiny of crimes involving US service members on the island, which hosts most of the roughly 54,000 US military personnel stationed in Japan.