Prime Minister Takaichi reacts strongly to the alleged murder of a Japanese woman by a US soldier.

Police announced that U.S. Marine Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, is suspected of murdering Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in Naha, the capital of Okinawa Prefecture, and stealing her wallet and backpack on October 3. Ballard has denied the allegations, according to Reuters.

Photo: AFP

"It is extremely regrettable that such a brutal and barbaric incident occurred," Ms. Takaichi emphasized in a statement.

"The Japanese government strongly protests to the U.S. and strongly requests maximum cooperation in the investigation," Prime Minister Takaichi declared, while also calling for stricter discipline and thorough measures to prevent such incidents from recurring.

The U.S. Embassy in Japan and the U.S. Marine Corps have expressed their condolences over the incident and affirmed that they are cooperating with Japanese authorities.

In a statement, the U.S. Marine Corps said the suspect is being held in Japanese custody. The statement read: "The Marine Corps takes these allegations very seriously and expects all service members to uphold the highest standards of conduct."

The majority of the 18,000 U.S. Marines in Japan are stationed in Okinawa, a territory the U.S. controlled from after World War II until 1972. Their presence has repeatedly sparked controversy due to issues such as noise, aircraft accidents, and the conduct of military personnel.