According to Japanese media outlet 'Ryukyu Shimbun', on October 4th local time, Japanese Defense Minister Kenjiro Koizumi stated that he found it 'intolerable and absolutely unacceptable' that U.S. military personnel stationed in Japan were suspected of murdering a Japanese woman, and expressed 'deep indignation'.
He added that he has expressed strong protest to the American side, requesting them to strengthen personnel training, improve discipline, prevent accidents, and provide appropriate assistance to the families of those who died.
Koizumi also expressed his condolences to the families of the victims and emphasized, "The incidents and accidents caused by US military personnel will cause great anxiety to the local residents. Such things should never happen."
The Japan Ministry of Defense stated that it will ‘continue to urge the US to take thorough measures to prevent various incidents and accidents’, and will work together with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to address this issue.
According to Japanese media reports, on the 3rd, a woman was found murdered in a hotel in Naha, Okinawa, and her belongings were stolen. On the 4th, Japanese police arrested a 20-year-old soldier named Devyn Jacob Ballard, who belonged to the US Navy's Puchengi Base, on suspicion of robbery and homicide.
On the morning of the 4th, Japanese Foreign Affairs Minister Kenyu Shukanet called U.S. Ambassador to Japan John Glasser. Shukanet stated that the incident was “extremely regrettable,” expressed strong protest, and urged the U.S. military to fully cooperate with the investigation and strengthen discipline.
Ambassador Glas issued a deep regret: "We will fully cooperate with Japanese authorities’ investigation and do our utmost to prevent similar incidents from occurring again."
