Okinawa police in Japan reported that the body of a 39-year-old woman was discovered at a hotel in Naha city, Okinawa prefecture on 3/10. Upon reviewing surveillance camera footage, officers found that a bald foreign man had entered the hotel with the victim, then later left carrying her belongings.
Police subsequently located a man matching the description, identified as a 20-year-old US Marine stationed at Futenma air base on the island. He was asked to voluntarily accompany officers to the police station, where he was arrested on suspicion of murder and robbery.
The US Embassy in Japan confirmed on 4/10 that it had been informed of the service member's arrest. US Ambassador to Japan George Glass stated he had spoken with Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Okinawa Governor to "extend sincere condolences and pledge full cooperation as the investigation proceeds".
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A US soldier checks the alcohol level of a driver entering Hansen base in Okinawa in 2024. Photo: Dvids
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi today expressed outrage, calling the incident "extremely brutal and heinous". She stated, "The Japanese government has strongly protested to the US and called for the fullest possible cooperation with the investigation, stricter discipline for US service members, and comprehensive measures to prevent similar crimes and incidents from recurring".
The US currently has about 54,000 troops stationed in Japan, primarily in Okinawa. Misconduct by US service members, including rape, assault, hit-and-run incidents, and drunk driving accidents, has long fueled protests in Okinawa.
This issue also frequently strains relations between the US and Japan, two close allies.
US Marines train on drone operations in Japan on 16/9. Video: USMC
Last year, a Japanese court sentenced a US Marine to 7 years in prison for strangling and attempting to rape a woman. In 2017, a former US Marine and civilian base employee received a life sentence for raping and murdering a local woman.
Also in 2017, US forces in Japan banned all service members from drinking alcohol after a soldier, while intoxicated, crashed into a small truck, killing the 61-year-old local driver.
Pham Giang (According to AFP, CNN)
