A U.S. Marine is in Japanese custody over the killing of a woman in Naha, Okinawa's capital. Police say Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, of Marine Corps Air Station Futenma pressed on Anna Yagi's neck in a Naha hotel early Saturday. Yagi, 39, died of asphyxiation. Police say he left with her wallet and backpack. Police arrested him early Sunday on suspicion of robbing and killing her. He denies it, and prosecutors in Naha will decide whether to charge him. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called it a "heinous crime," and Japan protested strongly to the United States. Okinawa's new governor, Genta Koja, took office on Sept. 30, days before the killing.

1. Review the Troop Agreement and Marine Discipline, but Still Move Futenma to Henoko (Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja)

Koja wants the U.S. to review the Marines' rules, and he still backs moving Futenma.

The Marines' discipline training isn't working. On Monday, Koja and Naha Mayor Satoru Chinen gave a protest letter to two people. One was Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, the Marine commander in Okinawa. The other was U.S. Consul General Andrew Ou. The letter says the killing "leads us to conclude that U.S. military efforts regarding discipline and human rights education are completely ineffective."

It's time to review the troop agreement. The U.S.-Japan Status of Forces Agreement is the pact that governs American troops in Japan. The letter asks for that review, stricter discipline, and steps to prevent another case. It points to two earlier killings, one in 2016 and one in 2019.

Koja backs the Henoko move. He beat two-term incumbent Denny Tamaki on Sept. 13. He's the first governor in 12 years to accept moving Futenma to Henoko, in northern Okinawa. Koja has said he is giving the Marines no "blank check."

2. Only Closing the Bases Will Stop the Killings (Femibridge Okinawa, ex-Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Prof. Kozue Akibayashi)

Base opponents say U.S. servicemen keep killing and raping people in Okinawa, and a review won't stop it.

Base opponents point to a pattern of violence by U.S. servicemen. In 1995, three U.S. servicemen raped a 12-year-old girl. About 85,000 people protested. In 2016, a former Marine raped and killed Rina Shimabukuro, a 20-year-old woman. After Yagi's death, Femibridge Okinawa, an advocacy group, said, "Anger has reached its boiling point."

Tokyo always picks the alliance over Okinawans. Kozue Akibayashi, a professor at Doshisha University, says, "The Japanese government has always chosen the US-Japan alliance over the safety and lives, and voices of the people of Okinawa."

Women in Okinawa aren't safe. Hatoyama, a former prime minister, wrote that the case shows "the safety of women in Okinawa is being threatened." About 100 people protested near the prefectural building in Naha on Sunday. Some demanded the bases go. One woman from Nago said it makes no sense for a serviceman "stationed at a U.S. military base in Okinawa to protect Japan" to kill a civilian.

3. Enforce Discipline, Cooperate With the Investigation, and Keep the Bases (Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi)

Tokyo and Washington say the fix is stricter discipline and full cooperation with the investigation.

Japan wants the U.S. to tighten discipline. Defense Minister Koizumi called the incident unacceptable and said he is outraged. Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tokyo will keep urging the U.S. to "thoroughly enforce discipline." Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned U.S. Ambassador George Glass on Sunday.

The U.S. says it is cooperating. Glass promised "full cooperation as the investigation continues." Watson said serious incidents worry the Marines because they make Okinawans anxious. The Army garrison in Okinawa pulled out of a rope-inspection ceremony for Naha's tug-of-war festival "out of consideration and respect for the citizens of Okinawa."

U.S. troops help defend Japan. Takaichi supports them as a deterrent to China. Her government is preparing a record defense budget for fiscal 2027. She also wants to move Marine operations from Futenma to Henoko.

Where This Lands

Koja says the troop agreement and the Marines' discipline have to change, and he still backs the Henoko move. Base opponents say the killings will not stop until the bases go. Takaichi's government says U.S. forces should stay and be better disciplined. Ballard denies the allegations, and the Naha prosecutors have not yet said whether they will charge him.

Sources