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Japan’s Takaichi presses US after marine arrested over murder-robbery of woman

A 20-year-old US marine was arrested on Sunday in Japan’s Okinawa prefecture on suspicion of robbing and murdering a local woman, police said. Davin Ballard stationed at the Futenma Airbase is suspected of killing Anna Yagi, 39, and taking her wallet and backpack in the early hours of Saturday at a hotel in Naha, according to the Okinawa prefectural police. The suspect has denied the charges,…

Japan’s Takaichi presses US after marine arrested over murder-robbery of woman

In Japan’s Okinawa prefecture, a 20-year-old US Marine stationed at the Futenma Airbase, Davin Ballard, has been arrested on suspicion of robbing and murdering 39-year-old local woman Anna Yagi. Yagi’s body was discovered at a hotel in Naha on Saturday morning. Police claim the suspect took her wallet and backpack during the robbery.

Ballard denies the charges. Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi expressed deep regret over the violent crime and requested full US cooperation in the ongoing investigation. Additionally, Japanese Vice-Foreign Minister Takehiro Funakoshi lodged a formal protest with US Ambassador George Glass against Ballard’s alleged involvement.

Glass assured Funakoshi that the US would fully cooperate in the investigation and take necessary measures to prevent similar incidents. The US Embassy in Tokyo conveyed condolences to Yagi’s family and announced its full cooperation with Japan’s authorities in the ongoing inquiry. The US Marine Corps declared they were actively cooperating with Japanese authorities in response to the alleged criminal actions.

A police officer apprehended Ballard as he walked alone on a street in Naha’s entertainment district late on Saturday.

Written by urgent.news from South China Morning Post's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.

Also reported by 8 other outlets

Read the original at scmp.com →

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