A United States Marine stationed on Japan’s Okinawa island has been arrested in connection with the alleged killing of a 39-year-old Japanese woman, according to local police.
Authorities said the woman was found dead at a hotel in Naha on Saturday. Police allege that the suspect killed her and took her wallet.
Japanese media reported that security camera footage showed a foreign man entering a hotel room with the woman before later leaving with her belongings.
Investigators subsequently identified a 20-year-old man who they believed matched the description in the footage. He was taken to a police station and later arrested. The suspect has reportedly denied the allegations.
The incident has renewed concerns in Okinawa over crimes involving US military personnel. The Japanese island hosts a large share of American military facilities in the country and has previously witnessed protests over incidents involving US troops.
US Ambassador to Japan George Glass said he had contacted Japanese officials and Okinawa’s governor, expressing condolences to the victim’s family and promising US cooperation with the investigation.
Japan’s Prime Minister, Sanae Takaichi, said the government had protested to US authorities over the incident, describing the alleged crime as particularly serious.
She called for greater cooperation from the US, tighter discipline among American military personnel and stronger measures to prevent similar incidents.
Japan’s Defence Minister, Shinjiro Koizumi, also said incidents involving US military personnel had caused concern among local residents and should not be allowed to continue.
The United States has about 54,000 military personnel stationed in Japan, with a significant number based in Okinawa.
Relations between residents of Okinawa and the US military have been strained by previous cases involving American personnel. A former US Marine and civilian base worker was sentenced to life imprisonment in 2017 after being convicted of raping and killing a local woman.
Japanese media also reported that thousands of US military personnel have been arrested in Okinawa since the island was returned to Japanese control in 1972.
The latest arrest is expected to further draw attention to the longstanding concerns surrounding the presence of US forces on the island as Japanese authorities continue their investigation.
