Japan Demands Action After U.S. Marine Arrested for Murder

Oct 05, 2026 | News On Japan

TOKYO - Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has strongly condemned the arrest of a U.S. Marine on suspicion of robbery and murder at a hotel in Naha, Okinawa, describing the crime as "extremely brutal and vicious," while Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned U.S. Ambassador to Japan George Glass to lodge a formal protest and demand measures to prevent similar incidents.

Takaichi expressed her condolences in a post on X, calling the incident deeply regrettable and revealing that the Japanese government had strongly protested to the United States.

She also called for maximum cooperation from the U.S. side in the investigation and demanded stricter discipline among U.S. military personnel, emphasizing that the government would take all necessary steps to address the case.

Motegi separately summoned Glass to the Foreign Ministry, where he delivered a strong protest over the arrest and urged the United States to implement measures to prevent a recurrence.

"We have lodged a protest," Motegi said.

The government's response follows the arrest of a male U.S. Marine stationed in Okinawa on suspicion of robbery and murder in connection with the incident at a hotel in Naha.

Source: TBS

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