US Troops in Okinawa Face Curfew and Alcohol Ban After Marine's Murder Arrest

US military personnel stationed on Japan's Okinawa island will observe a month long curfew and are prohibited from drinking alcohol as part of disciplinary training after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of killing a local woman.

Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, was arrested by local police on October 4 on suspicion of murdering and robbing Anna Yagi, a 39 year old woman who was pronounced dead in a hotel room in Naha, the most populous city on the island. Police told investigators Yagi died from asphyxiation after pressure was applied to her neck, and that Ballard allegedly took her wallet and backpack. Ballard, who is stationed at the Marine Corps Air Station Futenma as part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force, has denied the allegations, according to Japanese authorities.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, commander of the III Marine Expeditionary Force and Okinawa area coordinator, ordered the measures in a letter on October 6. All US military operations on Okinawa will be paused for 48 hours starting October 7 while troops undergo training on standards and discipline. During the stand down, American personnel are prohibited from consuming alcohol or leaving their base, and off base movement is restricted. As of October 9, all US service members stationed on Okinawa will observe a month long overnight curfew from midnight to 5 am.

Every interaction with our neighbors either builds or undermines the trust that is essential to our team, Watson wrote. When that trust is damaged, it affects the strength of our alliance and the security of this region.

The case has become a diplomatic incident and an early test for Japan's new government. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the killing extremely brutal and heinous, saying she had strongly protested to the US and demanded measures to prevent such incidents in the future. Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned US Ambassador George Glass on Sunday and lodged a strong protest, demanding full cooperation with the investigation and stricter discipline. Glass expressed regret over the loss of life and pledged full cooperation with Japanese authorities.

Okinawa Governor Genta Koja travelled to Tokyo and pressed Japan's central government for tougher measures, arguing that previous efforts to enforce discipline among US personnel had failed. He lodged a formal protest over the alleged killing with Watson and the US consul general in Okinawa on Monday. Protesters took to the streets in Naha and Tokyo to condemn the incident, with signs reading Okinawa is not your amusement park.

Okinawa hosts more than 30,000 American military personnel and about 70 percent of US military facilities in Japan. Resentment over the US presence has been a feature of Okinawan life and politics for decades, and sporadic incidents of violence involving US personnel have stoked anger. The case is the latest in a string of criminal allegations stretching back years that have fueled unease over the large US troop presence on the island chain near Taiwan and China, with US officials warning it could undermine ties vital to security in East Asia.