By Alastair Gale | Updated on Oct 05, 2026 at 06:21 AM
Japan is demanding tighter discipline among American troops after a Marine Corps lance corporal was arrested on suspicion of murdering a woman on the southern island of Okinawa, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said.
Local police arrested a 20-year-old US serviceman on suspicion of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi early Saturday at a hotel in the city of Naha. National broadcaster NHK said that a cord-like object was found wrapped around the woman’s neck, citing police investigators.
“The occurrence of such a heinous incident is extremely regrettable. The Japanese government has lodged a strong protest with the US side,” Takaichi said in remarks before an opening session of parliament on Monday.
“We have strongly called for the full cooperation of the US with the investigation, strict enforcement of discipline among US military personnel, and thorough measures to prevent a recurrence,” she said.
The incident threatens to reignite local opposition to the US military presence on Okinawa, where around 30,000 American service members are based. The rape of a 12-year-old Okinawan girl by three US troops in 1995 triggered major protests, and serious crimes involving US military personnel since then have periodically stoked opposition to the American military presence on the island.
US Ambassador to Japan George Glass was summoned by Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi and issued with a protest on Sunday, according to a statement issued by the Foreign Ministry. On X, Glass expressed “deep regret” for the loss of life and pledged “full cooperation with the investigation.”
The incident poses an early challenge for new Okinawa Governor Genta Koja, an ally of Takaichi who supports a stronger defense posture despite longstanding local opposition to the heavy US military presence. Koja said he would travel to Tokyo to lodge a protest over the incident.
Read more: Takaichi Ally Wins Okinawa Vote, Aiding Military Build-Up
The death comes ahead of a major joint exercise between the US and Japanese militaries. The drills, known as Keen Sword, will take place from Oct. 19 to 29 this year across Japan’s southern island chain as both nations work on making training more realistic for a possible crisis, such as an attempt by China to seize Taiwan.
Read more: US to Put Anti-Ship Missiles on Island Near Taiwan For Drill