TOKYO: The Japanese government is acutely concerned about the public reaction to the arrest of a US marine on suspicion of robbery and murder in Okinawa Prefecture, with tensions running particularly high as the Liberal Democratic Party just regained power in the prefectural government.
The government is stressing that it will take every possible measure to address the incident.
In September’s gubernatorial election, Genta Koja ran with the backing of the ruling coalition after agreeing to the relocation of the Futenma air base to the Henoko district of Nago. His victory brought the prefecture back under LDP-led control.
“The occurrence of such a heinous crime is a matter of profound regret,” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said ahead of her policy speech to the Diet on Monday (Oct 5).
Takaichi vowed that the government would “take all possible measures in response.”
She also said Japan had lodged a strong protest with the United States, demanding strict discipline among US military personnel and thorough measures to prevent a recurrence.
“I mourn the loss of the victim and offer my deepest condolences to the bereaved family,” Takaichi said.
An official close to the prime minister said her remarks reflected a heightened sense of urgency, underscoring how seriously the government regards the incident. This concern has driven the central government’s rapid response.
On the day Lance Cpl. Devin Ballard was arrested, Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned US Ambassador George Glass from a stay in Kyoto to protest to him face-to-face at the Foreign Ministry in Tokyo.
Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi summoned the commander of US Forces Japan on the same day and strongly urged stricter discipline.
Crimes involving US military personnel have repeatedly drawn a fierce local backlash in Okinawa Prefecture, with anger often directed at the central government as well.
This latest case is widely expected to undermine Koja’s ability to cooperate with the central government, despite his having shown understanding toward Tokyo’s efforts on base-related issues. Koja plans to visit the capital at some point to demand strict action from Takaichi and other officials.
The United States has acknowledged Japan’s growing concerns. In a post on X on Monday, Glass stressed efforts to hold US troops to “the very highest levels of discipline and integrity,” signaling readiness to fully cooperate with Japanese investigators and adhere to Tokyo’s demands for strict conduct.
However, concerns over the political fallout continue to mount within the ruling coalition.
Four LDP members of the House of Representatives elected from Okinawa Prefecture — including Kosaburo Nishime, a former state minister for Okinawa affairs — made a joint representation to Motegi and Koizumi on Monday, urging them to press the US government for concrete, effective measures to prevent recurrences.
One of the lawmakers lamented the incident as coming at “the worst possible time,” especially as the central government and Okinawa Prefecture had been exploring ways to deepen cooperation.
The bilateral Status of Forces Agreement stipulates that suspects remain in the custody of US authorities until indictment if a crime is committed off-duty by US service members or civilian personnel and the suspects are in US hands.
In this case, however, the prefectural police have the suspect in custody. That means the investigation and legal procedures will be handled in accordance with Japanese domestic law.
Suspect handed over to prosecutors
The Okinawa prefectural police on Monday sent Ballard, 20, to the Naha District Public Prosecutors Office on suspicion of robbery and murder.
Ballard was seen getting into a police vehicle at Naha Police Station on Monday afternoon, where the special investigation task force is based. Dressed in a long-sleeved black shirt and light-coloured shorts, he briefly glanced toward the press pack without showing any emotion.
Ballard was arrested on Sunday on suspicion of murdering a 39-year-old woman from Naha and stealing her wallet and backpack at a hotel in the city in the early hours of Saturday.
The victim died of suffocation from pressure on her neck. Ballard has reportedly denied the charges.
The wallet and backpack were recovered near the hotel on Saturday, according to the prefectural police. Security camera footage showed an individual accompanying the woman at the hotel who was wearing a black tank top and pants.
Ballard was dressed in different clothes when investigators spotted him in Okinawa City late Saturday night. However, because his shaved head and tattoos matched the person in the footage, police brought him in for voluntary questioning before arresting him on Sunday. - The Yomiuri Shimbun
