According to a report by the Japan Broadcasting Corporation (NHK) on October 4th, a woman was found murdered in a hotel in Naha City, Okinawa on the 3rd. Her belongings were stolen. On the 4th, Japanese police arrested a 20-year-old enlisted soldier affiliated with the US Navy's Puchengi Base on suspicion of robbery and homicide.
According to reports, at around 4:30 a.m. local time on March 3rd, a 39-year-old local woman from Naha City was found collapsed in a hotel room in Naha City, and she was declared dead on the spot.
Police investigations indicate that, based on the condition of the body, the woman was murdered. Her belongings were stolen, and her body was found near the crime scene. Therefore, police have launched an investigation into the case as a robbery-murder incident.
According to reports, surveillance footage shows a man with a shaved head, who appears to be a foreigner, entering a room. There was also a woman in the room. Shortly after, the man left the hotel with the woman’s belongings.
On the 4th, the police arrested Devon Jacob Barad, a 20-year-old US Marine stationed at Pu-Tianjin Naval Base.
Currently, the Japanese police are investigating the details of the incident.
For a long time, there have been frequent criminal incidents involving U.S. military personnel in Japan, including violent crimes such as murder, rape, and robbery. In 2025 alone, the Okinawa County police uncovered over 100 criminal cases involving U.S. military personnel and related individuals.
However, according to the Japan-US Status Agreement, if American soldiers commit crimes in Japan, the United States has priority jurisdiction. As a result, cases involving American soldiers often remain unresolved.
