The US military suspended operations for 48 hours in Okinawa, Japan, restricting troops from leaving their bases and ordering disciplinary training after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of killing a local woman.

The US military suspended operations for 48 hours in Okinawa, Japan, restricting troops from leaving their bases and ordering disciplinary training after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of killing a local woman.

Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, is accused of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel and stealing her belongings. He denied the allegations.

The arrest renewed protests over the US military presence in Okinawa, where military-related criminal cases rose from about 40 in 2020 to 101 in 2025.

Source: NBC News