Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said Japan had lodged a strong protest after a US Marine was arrested on suspicion of murdering a 39-year-old woman in Naha.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi called on the United States to tighten discipline among its service members and take steps to prevent similar crimes. Her statement followed the arrest of a 20-year-old US Marine suspected of killing 39-year-old Anna Yagi.
Police found Yagi dead in a Naha hotel early Saturday. NHK reported that an object resembling a cord was around her neck. The suspect has been arrested and the investigation is continuing. He has not been convicted.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara said Tokyo reiterated its demands for stricter discipline and measures to prevent a recurrence. US Ambassador George Glass was summoned to Japan's Foreign Ministry, where officials lodged a protest. Glass expressed regret over the woman's death and pledged cooperation with the investigation. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi called the incident outrageous and unacceptable.
The case has renewed scrutiny of the US military presence on Okinawa, where about 70% of US military facilities in Japan are concentrated.