From the HERE City National Desk
The U.S. military on Okinawa has halted normal operations, banned alcohol and barred troops from leaving their bases for two days after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of killing a Japanese woman.
Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, announced the period of training late Tuesday. It runs from noon Wednesday to noon Friday. Off-base liberty is suspended, and alcohol is prohibited on and off U.S. installations during that time. Service members are receiving training on standards, discipline and their responsibilities as members of the Okinawan community.
Starting Friday, all U.S. military personnel on the island will enter a 30-day period of reflection with a midnight-to-5 a.m. curfew and enhanced supervision at base gates, according to a III MEF memorandum.
Okinawa police arrested Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed at Futenma Air Station, on suspicion of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in Naha early Saturday and stealing her wallet and backpack. Ballard has denied the allegations, according to police. The Marine Corps said he is from Ohio. He is being held by Japanese authorities.
In the letter, Watson said serving on the island comes with responsibility and that damaged trust affects the strength of the alliance and the security of the region.
The arrest has renewed protests against the large U.S. military presence on Okinawa, where nearly 80,000 Americans live, about 30,000 of them active-duty troops. Criminal cases linked to the U.S. military rose to 101 last year from about 40 in 2020, according to police.
