US Marine arrested in Okinawa murder case, renewing anger over US bases

Japanese police arrested a US Marine over the alleged robbery and murder of a woman in Naha. The case has reignited Okinawan anger over crimes linked to American bases and troop discipline.

In Short

• Police said the 39-year-old woman was found dead in a Naha hotel
• Investigators suspect strangulation after CCTV showed the pair entering together
• Okinawa's governor said the case deepened fear among residents near bases

Japanese police have arrested a US Marine in connection with the alleged robbery and murder of a woman on Okinawa, in a case that has again put a spotlight on the heavy American military presence on the southern Japanese island.

The arrest has triggered strong reactions from Japanese leaders and Okinawa's newly elected governor, who said the case had shocked local residents and added to fears over crimes linked to US bases. The US government and the Marine Corps said they were cooperating with the investigation.

Okinawa prefectural police said the 20-year-old Marine, stationed at Futenma Air Station, was arrested on suspicion of killing a 39-year-old local woman at a hotel in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, in the early hours of Saturday, and taking her wallet and backpack.

Kyodo News, quoting police, reported that the woman's body was found in her hotel room and that she appeared to have been strangled to death. Police said security camera footage showed the man believed to be the suspect entering the hotel with the woman and leaving alone. Kyodo said an officer later arrested the suspect after spotting him walking alone in Naha's entertainment district late on Saturday.

"The case deals a major shock and adds fear to the Okinawans who have already been forced to live next to US bases," Okinawa Governor Genta Koja told reporters. "It is absolutely unforgivable and we are outraged." He also said, "I must say, discipline and troop education are not working at all," referring to steps taken by the US military after earlier criminal cases.

About 50,000 US troops are deployed in Japan under a bilateral security pact, with around half of them based on Okinawa. The island's strategic role has grown in importance for the Japan-US alliance amid rising tensions with China, and Japan's military focus in the country's south-west is centred heavily on Okinawa and nearby islands.

Many Okinawans have long complained about noise, pollution and crime linked to US bases. Crimes involving US service members have often strained ties between Japan's central government and the Okinawa administration. The latest case comes as Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's cabinet is pushing to strengthen Japan's military presence on Okinawa and deepen coordination with US forces.

"The occurrence of the heinous crime is extremely regrettable," Takaichi said in a post on X. She said her government had strongly protested to the US side and demanded maximum cooperation with Japanese authorities in the investigation, as well as stricter discipline for US service members and steps to prevent such incidents.

Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned US Ambassador to Japan George Glass and conveyed "outrage", according to a ministry statement. Glass said on X that he conveyed condolences to the victim's family and that the United States was cooperating with Japan's national and local governments.

The US Marine Corps said the suspect was assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force on Okinawa and that it was fully cooperating with Japanese authorities. "The Marine Corps takes these allegations very seriously and expects every Marine to adhere to the highest standards of behavior," it said.

Futenma base, located in a densely populated part of central Okinawa, has for decades been a flashpoint for many residents, who have demanded its relocation. Despite protests, the central government approved work to move the base to Henoko on Okinawa's eastern coast, though the project has been delayed repeatedly.

Anger over crimes involving US personnel on Okinawa has deep roots. The rape of a 12-year-old girl by three US service members in 1995 sparked massive protests against the troop presence on the island. According to prefectural police, arrests involving US service members and their families crossed 100 last year, while repeated sexual crimes and delays in disclosing some of them have also fuelled outrage in recent years.

The arrest of the Marine has now added to long-running tensions over the US military presence on Okinawa, with Japanese authorities pressing for full cooperation in the murder investigation and local leaders voicing fresh anger over the impact of US bases on the island.

With PTI Inputs

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