Okinawa governor protests to US commander over Marine held in Naha killing
Version 2: Asahi Shimbun added that the governor was told in advance that US officials could not apologise because the suspect denies the allegations, and quoted Watson as saying he was filled with deep regret; the governor's Tokyo trip is still being arranged for this week.
In short
Okinawa Governor Koja Genta summoned the top US commander in Okinawa, Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, and other US and Japanese officials to the prefectural office on Oct. 5 and protested over the killing of a woman at a Naha hotel for which a US Marine has been arrested. The governor demanded a review of the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement and measures to prevent a repeat, and said he plans to take his protest to Tokyo. Police sent the suspect, Marine Pfc. Devin Jacob Ballard, to prosecutors the same day.
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Okinawa Governor Koja Genta protested to the top US commander in Okinawa and other US and Japanese officials on Oct. 5 over the killing of a woman at a hotel in Naha for which a US Marine has been arrested. He summoned Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, the four-service coordinator who heads US forces in the prefecture, and Andrew Ou, the US consul general in Okinawa, to the prefectural office, together with Naha Mayor Chinen, according to Asahi Shimbun, Jiji Press and Yomiuri Shimbun. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
The case concerns the death of Anna Yagi at a Naha hotel on Oct. 3 and the taking of her belongings. US Marine Pfc. Devin Jacob Ballard, assigned to the Futenma base, was arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder, and police sent him to prosecutors on Oct. 5, Nippon TV News and Livedoor News reported. [ 1 , 2 ]
“The loss of the precious lives of prefectural residents is extremely regrettable, and I feel fierce anger,” the governor said, noting that women were also killed in 2016 and 2019. He demanded full cooperation with the investigation, discipline among US personnel, prevention of a repeat and a review of the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement, including improved human-rights education, according to Asahi, Jiji and Yomiuri. He also met Masaru Murai, head of the Defence Ministry's Okinawa Defence Bureau, and Masahiko Kiya, the Foreign Ministry's ambassador in charge of Okinawa, and handed them the same protest. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Watson said he recognised that the serious incident had caused grave concern and anxiety among Okinawa residents, who are neighbours of the US forces, and expressed condolences to the victim and her family, Jiji reported. Asahi quoted him as saying he was filled with deep regret, and Yomiuri quoted him as saying the US military would work to meet the community's trust as a disciplined and responsible neighbour. Asahi and Jiji reported that he did not apologise; Asahi said the governor told reporters he had been informed in advance that an apology was not possible because the suspect denies the allegations. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Jiji reported the governor is arranging to go to Tokyo, possibly as early as Oct. 7, to protest to Prime Minister Takaichi Sanae and Defence Minister Koizumi Shinjiro, while Asahi and Yomiuri said only that he would go within the week. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Yomiuri reported that 101 criminal cases involving US military personnel in the prefecture were cleared in 2024, the first time above 100 in 22 years since 112 in 2003, with 56 cases as of the end of August this year, 12 fewer than a year earlier on a provisional basis. The newspaper said the US military tightened rules on off-base conduct in October 2024, extending a 1am-5am ban on stays at establishments serving alcohol to the Army, Navy and Air Force as well as the Marines, and that joint Japan-US patrols in entertainment districts have been held at least monthly since April 2025. [ 6 ]
NHK reported separately that a wallet was found in the victim's rucksack near the scene and that something like a cord was around her neck. [ 5 ]
Why it matters
The case revives a long-running dispute in Okinawa over crimes involving US service members and the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement, with the governor now preparing to press the prime minister and defence minister directly. Yomiuri Shimbun also reports a rising count of criminal cases involving US military personnel in the prefecture, an issue that bears on the base-host relationship.
Key facts
- Anna Yagi was killed and her belongings taken at a hotel in Naha on Oct. 3, according to police accounts reported by Nippon TV News and Livedoor News. [ 1 , 2 ]
- US Marine Pfc. Devin Jacob Ballard, assigned to the Futenma base, was arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder, and police sent him to prosecutors on Oct. 5. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Okinawa Governor Koja Genta and Naha Mayor Chinen summoned Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson, the four-service coordinator who heads US forces in Okinawa, and other officials to the prefectural office on Oct. 5 to protest. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The governor called the loss of a resident's life extremely regrettable and said he felt fierce anger, noting that women were also killed in 2016 and 2019. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- The governor demanded a review of the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement, discipline among US personnel, full cooperation with the investigation and better human-rights education. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- Watson said the incident had caused serious concern and anxiety among Okinawa residents; Asahi Shimbun and Jiji Press reported that he did not apologise. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The governor also met Masaru Murai, head of the Defence Ministry's Okinawa Defence Bureau, and Masahiko Kiya, the Foreign Ministry's ambassador in charge of Okinawa, and plans to protest in Tokyo. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- Yomiuri Shimbun reported that 101 criminal cases involving US military personnel in the prefecture were cleared in 2024, the first time above 100 in 22 years, with 56 cases as of the end of August this year. [ 6 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- Okinawa Governor Koja Genta protested to Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson at the prefectural office on Oct. 5, together with Naha Mayor Chinen. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The governor called the death of a resident extremely regrettable and said he felt fierce anger. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- The governor demanded a review of the Japan-US Status of Forces Agreement and steps to prevent a repeat. [ 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 ]
- Watson said the incident has caused serious concern and anxiety among Okinawa residents. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 ]
- The governor also delivered protests to Defence Ministry and Foreign Ministry officials in Okinawa. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- The governor intends to go to Tokyo and press the national government for discipline and prevention measures. [ 3 , 4 , 6 ]
Still unclear
- Whether the suspect has admitted or denied the allegations. Asahi Shimbun reported that the governor was told in advance that an apology was not possible because the suspect denies the allegations, but no other document states the suspect's position.
- Whether the US military has apologised. Asahi Shimbun and Jiji Press reported that Watson did not apologise, while other documents quote his remarks without mentioning an apology.
- The exact date of the governor's planned trip to Tokyo. Jiji Press reported it was being arranged for as early as Oct. 7, while Asahi Shimbun and Yomiuri Shimbun said only that he would go within the week.
- Details of the victim's injuries and belongings. NHK reported in separate headline items that a wallet was found in the victim's rucksack near the scene and that something like a cord was around her neck; these details appear in only one document.
- The victim's age, occupation and other personal details. The documents give her name only.
- Which officials exactly met the governor. Asahi Shimbun named four officials summoned to the prefectural office, while other documents name subsets of them.
- A woman was killed and her belongings taken at a hotel in Naha on Oct. 3, and a US Marine was arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder. Reported by a single source so far
- Marine Pfc. Devin Jacob Ballard, assigned to the Futenma base, was arrested on suspicion of robbery-murder and sent to prosecutors on Oct. 5. Reported by a single source so far
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- A woman, Anna Yagi, is killed and robbed at a hotel in Naha. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Police send US Marine Pfc. Devin Jacob Ballard to prosecutors on suspicion of robbery-murder. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Governor Koja Genta and Naha Mayor Chinen summon Lt. Gen. Benjamin T. Watson and other US and Japanese officials to the prefectural office and protest. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 6 ]
- Nippon TV News and Livedoor News report the protest. [ 1 , 2 ]
- Asahi Shimbun reports the protest, names the four officials summoned and reports that no apology was made. [ 3 ]
- Jiji Press reports the demand for a Status of Forces Agreement review and that a Tokyo trip is being arranged for as early as Oct. 7. [ 4 ]
- NHK reports the governor's protest and his call for a treaty review. [ 5 ]
- Yomiuri Shimbun reports the protest and publishes prefectural crime statistics involving US military personnel. [ 6 ]