Okinawa assembly resolution calls for revision of U.S. forces pact after woman's murder

The Okinawa prefectural assembly has adopted a resolution calling for revisions to the Japan-U.S. Status of Forces Agreement, following the alleged murder of a 39-year-old woman by a U.S. Marine. According to The Mainichi, the woman, Anna Yagi, was killed at a hotel in Naha, the prefectural capital, by Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, who is stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.

The U.S. military in Okinawa responded by suspending operations for 48 hours and imposing a curfew on its personnel. This incident is the latest in a series of crimes involving U.S. military personnel that have sparked public outcry in Okinawa. The prefecture hosts a large contingent of U.S. forces and was under U.S. control from 1945 to 1972.

Protests have been held in front of the Foreign Ministry, with demonstrators expressing concerns over the U.S. troop presence on the island. Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has condemned the killing as "extremely brutal and heinous," and Tokyo has protested to the U.S. and demanded measures to prevent similar incidents.

Brief written by urgent.news from Japan Today, Channel News Asia, The Mainichi, Japan Times — 4 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.