The key facts

  • Marine Devin Ballard, 20, charged with robbery and strangling a woman with a telephone cord at a Naha hotel on October 3
  • Okinawa stepped up demands on the central government; the US imposed a 30-day curfew on bases
  • Tokyo and Washington are discussing a revision of the 'liberty policy' and joint patrols

Charges filed

A US Marine serving in Japan has been charged with robbery and the murder of a woman in Okinawa Prefecture in early October, the Tokyo-based Kyodo News agency reported on Sunday, citing local media. The accused is 20-year-old Devin Ballard, who serves at Futenma airbase. According to the agency, he is charged with killing a woman by wrapping a telephone cord around her neckat a hotel in Naha, the prefectural capital, on October 3. Police spotted Ballard walking alone in the city of Okinawa late on the evening of October 3 and arrested him the next day on suspicion of robbery and murder.

Government reaction

The incident prompted Okinawa Governor Denny Tamaki to step up calls on the central government to take preventive measures. The Japanese government lodged a stern protest with the United States, and Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described what happened as a 'heinous crime'. Tokyo also urged Washington to cooperate 'fully' with the investigation and to ensure strict discipline among American service members.

Measures and talks

After Ballard's arrest, the US military command in Okinawa imposed on October 9 a 30-day curfew, barring service members from leaving bases from midnight to 5 a.m.. Washington and Tokyo have begun talks on preventive measures, including reviewing the effectiveness of the 'liberty policy' governing the conduct of US service members off base in Japan, and joint patrols involving American troops and Japanese police. According to Kyodo News, the charges come amid growing resentment among Okinawa residents over the presence of US military facilities: locals have already protested over past crimes by service members, including assaults on women and girls, as well as noise and pollution associated with the bases.

Why it matters

The case once again sharpens the long-standing dispute over the US military presence in Okinawa, on which residents' everyday safety and quality of life depend. The practical consequences are already visible: a curfew for service members and the start of bilateral talks on revising off-base conduct rules and joint patrols. The outcome of those talks will determine whether the rules governing US troops' stay in Japan will change.