Police have arrested a US Marine in connection with a robbery murder case in which a woman was found dead at a hotel in the city of Naha, Okinawa Prefecture.

According to the police, 20-year-old Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, stationed at the US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, is suspected of killing Naha resident Yagi Anna in a hotel room early on October 3 and stealing her wallet and backpack.

Ballard had left the scene after the incident, and security cameras at the hotel captured footage of him leaving alone.

Police conducted a search and located him in an entertainment district in the city of Okinawa on the night of October 3 as his physical features and facial appearance closely matched the person in the footage

They asked him to accompany them to the police station and placed him under emergency arrest.

During questioning, Ballard denied the allegations, saying he does not know anything about it.

Police said the following day that an autopsy showed the 39-year-old victim died of suffocation due to strangulation.

The victim’s bereaved family released a statement saying they are overwhelmed with grief at losing a family member and asking that they be left in peace.

In Tokyo, Defense Minister Koizumi Shinjiro told reporters that the incident is unacceptable and that he is deeply outraged.

Koizumi said the Japanese government lodged a strong protest with the United States and requested thorough education for service members as well as prompt and appropriate responses toward the victim’s bereaved family.

He said crimes and accidents by US military personnel cause great anxiety to local residents and must not happen.

The defense minister also expressed his intention to continue demanding that the United States work on preventing such incidents.

On the morning of October 4, Vice Foreign Minister Funakoshi Takehiro called US Ambassador to Japan George Glass and lodged a strong protest and asked for full cooperation with investigations and measures to prevent something similar from happening again.

Japanese officials said Glass expressed deep regret and said the United States will fully cooperate with investigations by Japanese authorities and do everything possible to prevent a recurrence.

Voices of protest are growing across Okinawa Prefecture.

S/ Koja Genta, Okinawa Governor / This has dealt a huge shock to prefectural residents who are forced to live side by side with military bases. It is absolutely unforgivable, and I feel immense outrage.

In addition to summoning US military officials to the prefectural government office, the Okinawa governor plans to travel to Tokyo to lodge protests with relevant government ministries and agencies.

On October 4, rallies protesting the incident were held across Okinawa Prefecture, with people expressing anger over the repeated occurrence of heinous crimes involving US military personnel.