Japan protests to US after Marine is arrested in killing of woman in Okinawa
Police say a 20-year-old Marine robbed and killed a 39-year-old woman at a Naha hotel; he denies the allegations.
Police say a 20-year-old Marine robbed and killed a 39-year-old woman at a Naha hotel; he denies the allegations.
Japan has formally protested to the United States after police in Okinawa arrested a 20-year-old U.S. Marine on suspicion of robbing and killing a 39-year-old local woman at a hotel in the city of Naha.
The Marine, who is stationed at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, denies the allegations, according to Japanese police as reported by Stars and Stripes and CBS News.
## What police say happened
Police allege the woman was killed early Saturday at a hotel in Naha's Wakasa district, between about 2:10 a.m. and 4:17 a.m. local time, according to Stars and Stripes. The woman appeared to have been strangled, the Associated Press reported.
Security camera footage showed the woman entering the hotel with the Marine and the Marine leaving alone, according to Stars and Stripes and AP. Police allege he took her wallet and another item. A hotel employee found the woman unconscious after the pair failed to check out on time.
The Marine was arrested early Sunday. NextGen America is not naming the suspect or the victim.
## Japan's response
Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called the crime "extremely regrettable" and "exceptionally brutal and vicious," according to CBS News. Her government "strongly protested" to the U.S. and demanded "maximum cooperation" with the investigation, stricter discipline among U.S. troops and steps to prevent future incidents, AP reported.
Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned U.S. Ambassador George Glass to express Japan's outrage, according to AP.
Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja, who was recently elected, said the case "is absolutely unforgivable and we are outraged." He added that "discipline and troop education are not working at all," AP reported.
## The U.S. response
The U.S. Embassy said it was "communicating and cooperating with the Government of Japan and local authorities" and extended "sincere condolences to the victim's family," according to Stars and Stripes. Ambassador Glass pledged "full cooperation as the investigation continues," CBS reported.
The Marine Corps said it "takes these allegations very seriously" and expects Marines to maintain "the highest standards of behavior," according to CBS and AP.
## Why Okinawa is sensitive
About 50,000 U.S. troops are stationed in Japan under a bilateral security agreement, and roughly half of them are on Okinawa, according to AP. CBS put the total at about 54,000. The U.S. occupied Okinawa from the end of World War II until 1972.
Crimes involving U.S. service members have caused tension there for decades. A 1995 rape case involving U.S. servicemen sparked massive protests against the military presence, AP reported. Last year, arrests involving U.S. service members and their families in Japan topped 100, according to AP and CBS.
Recent cases include:
- **2025:** A U.S. Marine was sentenced to seven years in prison for choking and attempting to rape a woman, CBS reported.
- **2017:** A former Marine and base worker received a life sentence for raping and murdering a local woman, according to CBS.
## What happens next
Okinawa police are leading the investigation after arresting the Marine on suspicion of robbery and murder. The Marine Corps and the U.S. Embassy both say they are cooperating with Japanese authorities.
Japan's government has demanded stricter discipline and prevention measures from the U.S. military, AP reported. NextGen America will update this story as Japanese authorities release more information.