The Okinawa Prefectural Assembly on Friday adopted a resolution calling for a formal review of its Status of Forces agreement with the US military amid outrage over the alleged murder of local woman by an American Marine.
As reported by Kyodo News, the assembly passed the resolution by an overwhelming margin, with 45 members in favor and just two opposed.
According to Kyodo News, the two opponents of the resolution said that it didn’t go far enough and demanded language calling for the dismissal of the head of the US military in Okinawa.
The Status of Forces agreement, established in 1960, has been criticized for being too preferential to US service members, who are seen as being totally outside the reach of Japan’s domestic law enforcement.
Kyodo News noted that the Okinawa assembly “passed a similar protest resolution and opinion statement in 2024 when a series of sexual assaults by US servicemen in Okinawa came to light.”
Ryotaro Odo, leader of the assembly’s special committee on US military bases, said the resolution was necessary because “we are seeing the limitations of the US military’s training program and ability to maintain discipline, and have to say that it is not functioning as an organization.”
The resolution will now be delivered to the US embassy in Japan.
Authorities on Sunday arrested 20-year-old US Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard on suspicion of murdering 39-year-old Anna Yagi, whom Okinawa police say died from asphyxiation caused by pressure to her neck. In addition to facing murder accusations, Ballard also faces charges that he stole Yagi’s wallet and backpack.
The US Marine has denied all allegations.
The alleged murder sparked angry protests and led right-wing Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, who supports US military presence in Japan, to condemn what she called a “heinous crime” in a speech delivered in Japan’s parliament.
“The Japanese government has lodged a strong protest with the US side," said Takaichi, “and has strongly demanded full cooperation with the investigation, as well as strict disciplinary action against US military personnel and thorough measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.”
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