US Marine detained in Japan over alleged murder of woman in Okinawa

A 20-year-old U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa has been arrested over the death of a 39-year-old Japanese woman, local police said on Sunday, CBS News reports. Police allege he killed the woman at a hotel in Naha and stole her wallet on Saturday. The suspect has denied the allegations.

NHK, citing investigators, reported that CCTV footage showed a foreign man entering a room with a woman and leaving with her belongings. Okinawa Governor Genta Koja said: “It is absolutely unforgivable and we are outraged.” Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan had lodged a protest with the United States and urged maximum cooperation with the investigation.

The U.S. Embassy in Tokyo said it was cooperating with Japanese authorities and extended condolences to the victim’s family. The U.S. Marine Corps said the suspect is assigned to the III Marine Expeditionary Force and it is fully cooperating. About 54,000 American military personnel are stationed in Japan, mostly on the southern island of Okinawa.