Marine arrested on suspicion of killing a woman in Okinawa

A Marine was arrested this weekend on suspicion of robbing and murdering a Japanese woman in Okinawa, an incident that caused the Japanese government to file a formal protest with the United States.

According to Japan’s public broadcaster NHK, police identified the suspect as Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, who is assigned to Marine Corps Air Station Futenma on the island. Police identified the victim as Yagi Anna, 39. The Marine Corps confirmed the arrested suspect was assigned to III Marine Expeditionary Force.

Anna was killed via suffocation in a hotel in Naha City, the capital of the prefecture, in the early hours of Oct. 3, according to authorities. Her wallet and backpack were also stolen. Ballard, 20, was arrested at 1 a.m. local time Sunday according to police. They said security camera footage showed a man entering the hotel with Anna and leaving by himself. 

The murder and arrest prompted reactions from top Japanese officials. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said that the Japanese government “has strongly requested their full cooperation in the investigation, stricter discipline among U.S. military personnel, and thorough measures to prevent the recurrence of such incidents and accidents.”

In a statement posted to social media, III Marine Expeditionary Force said that it is “actively cooperating with Japanese authorities, in response to allegations of serious criminal actions by a Marine assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force. We extend our deepest condolences to the victim’s family and friends.”

“The Marine Corps takes these allegations very seriously and expects every Marine to adhere to the highest standards of behavior. The Marine is in custody of local authorities while investigations proceed,” the statement continued. “There’s no further information to release at this time.”

The U.S. embassy in Tokyo issued a similar statement, saying it is “aware that a US service member is in custody following the death of a Japanese national in Okinawa,” and said that it is in “communication and cooperating with” local officials and the Japanese government.

There are thousands of Marines stationed in Okinawa. In April 2025, Japanese and American military police started joint patrols around Naha City in response to a series of incidents involving American service members.