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US Marine Devin Jacob Ballard indicted over alleged murder of woman in Okinawa
CNN • • world
Key Points:
- Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, a 20-year-old US Marine stationed in Okinawa, has been indicted by Japanese prosecutors for the murder and robbery of Anna Yagi, a 39-year-old woman, whom he allegedly strangled with a phone cord in a hotel room in Naha.
- The case has reignited local outrage and protests against the US military presence in Okinawa, with political leaders including Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Okinawa Governor Genta Koja condemning the incident and demanding stricter discipline and preventive measures for US troops.
- Following Ballard's arrest, US forces in Okinawa were placed under a monthlong curfew and mandated to undergo training focused on discipline and community responsibility.
- This incident adds to a series of crimes involving US military personnel in Okinawa, including recent convictions for strangulation, sexual assault, kidnapping, and rape, which have fueled longstanding tensions and calls for reducing the American military footprint on the island.
