3 days ago
6
A woman's murder allegedly committed by a U.S. Marine successful Okinawa has triggered nationalist outrage, prompted Japan's premier to slam a "heinous crime" and rekindled contention implicit the dense subject beingness connected the confederate island.
Here are 5 things to cognize astir the latest lawsuit and Okinawa's thorny relations with the U.S. subject bases.
What happened?
Okinawa prefectural constabulary said they arrested Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed astatine Futenma Air Station, connected suspicion of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, astatine a edifice successful the island's superior metropolis of Naha aboriginal Saturday and stealing her wallet and backpack. He has denied the allegations, according to Japanese media.
U.S. Marine Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard leaves a constabulary presumption to beryllium sent to prosecutors implicit the sidesplitting of a Japanese pistillate successful Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, Japan, October 5, 2026, successful this photograph taken by Kyodo.
Kyodo/via REUTERS
Security camera footage showed a antheral entering the edifice with the pistillate and aboriginal leaving alone.
Ballard was arrested erstwhile a patrolling serviceman saw him walking aboriginal Saturday successful an amusement territory successful Okinawa City, astir 15 miles northeast of Naha. His shaved caput and the tattoos connected his arms matched those of the antheral successful information footage, Kyodo News bureau reported.
Why are truthful galore bases concentrated successful Okinawa?
Okinawa was nether U.S. concern from World War II until 1972. Today Okinawa hosts 70% of America's subject facilities and astir of the 50,000 U.S. troops based successful Japan today, contempt comprising conscionable 0.6% of Japan's landmass.
In the aftermath of World War II, Japan regained its sovereignty nether the San Francisco Peace Treaty of 1952, but Okinawa remained nether American control, making it a hub of U.S. subject build-up.
The 1972 instrumentality of Okinawa's sovereignty to Japan did small to diminish the fig of US bases connected the island, starring to the disproportionate load it is saddled with today.
Why is it truthful controversial?
There has been choler implicit expanding transgression linked to the U.S. subject connected the island. The fig of U.S. military-related transgression cases roseate to 101 past twelvemonth from astir 40 successful 2020, according to prefectural police.
The dense U.S. beingness has led to a big of issues, from chopper crashes and sound contamination to crimes involving servicemen, including the 1995 gang-rape of a section 12-year-old schoolgirl.
That rape by 3 U.S. soldiers successful Okinawa fueled wide calls for a rethink of a 1960 pact that outlined the ineligible presumption of Japan-based U.S. subject personnel.
The latest incidental has sparked wide anger.
"I'm outraged and flabbergasted to perceive that a fishy came to the (entertainment area) aft committing a murder," Kenji Higa, who lives successful Okinawa City, told the Okinawa Times.
Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja, right, hands a missive of protestation to U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson astatine the Okinawa prefectural bureau successful Naha, Okinawa connected Oct. 5, 2026, aft constabulary arrested a U.S. Marine accused of sidesplitting a woman.
Kotaro Ueda / Kyodo News via AP
People successful Okinawa person agelong opposed the dense U.S. subject beingness connected the island, but immoderate person travel to spot its strategical worth owed to what is wide viewed arsenic a increasing menace from China.
Some besides reason the subject bases make jobs and assistance boost Okinawa's section economy, accounting for astir 5% of the region's yearly income.
How does jurisdiction work?
The 1960 Japan Status of Forces Agreement is often accused of rendering U.S. subject bases virtually extraterritorial and immune to Japan's home laws.
Japanese authorities are, for example, hard-pressed to behaviour an on-site probe into alleged biology contamination wrong the bases and modulate low-altitude flights of their aircraft.
Among the astir contentious is Japan's deficiency of superior jurisdiction implicit crimes committed by US subject unit portion connected duty.
Even if crimes are committed portion off-duty, arsenic agelong arsenic the idiosyncratic liable remains connected base, their custody won't beryllium handed implicit to Japan until they are indicted, according to the Japan Federation of Bar Associations.
In this case, Kyodo reported that a constabulary serviceman questioned and detained the fishy arsenic helium walked unsocial connected a thoroughfare successful Naha's amusement territory precocious Saturday.
Japanese prosecutors started examining the suspect's lawsuit connected Monday to find whether to property ceremonial charges successful coming weeks.
If convicted, helium could look beingness successful situation oregon the decease penalty.
How delicate is the contented for Japan?
Despite the controversy, Japan -- which has a pacifist constitution -- relies connected U.S. subject mightiness arsenic a deterrent against immoderate imaginable attack, stressing the value of American soldiers being trained and connected standby 24/7.
But Japan's information is not needfully America's lone concern.
Experts accidental Washington fundamentally sees Okinawa arsenic its strategical foothold to deploy militarily successful the portion and beyond, and the land is seen by some countries arsenic important for monitoring China, the Taiwan Strait and the Korean peninsula.
In the past, American troops were mobilized from Okinawa to enactment successful conflicts specified arsenic the 1990 Gulf War and the 2003 Iraq War.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
In:
English (US) ·