US Marine arrested over murder of woman in Okinawa, Japan

A US Marine has been arrested on suspicion of murder after a woman's body was found in a hotel in Okinawa, Japan, local officials confirms.



Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi described the crime as a "brutal and heinous" robbery and murder.



She said she had urged the US to "enforce stricter discipline" of its personnel.



Japan's public broadcaster NHK identified the victim as Yagi Anna, 39, and the suspect as Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, who is stationed at US Marine Corps Air Station Futenma.



Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi said the woman's body was discovered early Saturday morning in a hotel in Naha City, the capital of the Okinawa prefecture.



"Such an incident is utterly inexcusable and fills me with strong indignation," Koizumi wrote on social media, adding that "incidents and accidents involving U.S. military personnel cause significant anxiety to the local community and must never occur".



The US Embassy in Tokyo said that it was fully cooperating with the Japanese government and local police.



Japan's foreign ministry said it summoned US ambassador George Glass to discuss the incident on Sunday.