By The South Asia Times

TOKYO - Japan has strongly protested to the United States after a US Marine was sent to prosecutors on Monday over the alleged robbery and murder of a local woman in Okinawa, an incident that has renewed public anger over the presence of US military personnel on the southern Japanese islands.

Okinawa police referred 20-year-old US Marine Devin Ballard to prosecutors after arresting him on suspicion of the robbery and murder of 39-year-old Anna Yagi at a hotel in Naha, the prefectural capital, on Saturday.

Police said Ballard has denied the allegations.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi told parliament on Monday that the Japanese government had “strongly protested” the incident and demanded full US cooperation with the investigation.

“We strongly protest this incident,” Takaichi said during the opening day of an extraordinary session of the Diet. She also called for strict discipline among U.S. military personnel to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.

Japan’s government has raised the case with US officials through several channels.

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oreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi summoned US Ambassador to Japan George Glass on Sunday to lodge a strong protest. Defense Minister Shinjiro Koizumi separately protested to Lt. Gen. Stephen Jost, commander of US Forces Japan.

Minoru Kihara, the government’s chief spokesman and minister responsible for addressing the impact of US forces in Okinawa, said Monday that Japan and the United States would work together to prevent a recurrence.

The case has particular sensitivity in Okinawa, which hosts the majority of US military facilities in Japan. Local residents have repeatedly expressed concerns about crimes, accidents, noise and other impacts associated with the U.S. military presence.

Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja, who took office last week after winning the gubernatorial election with backing from Japan’s ruling Liberal Democratic Party, said he intends to travel to Tokyo as early as this week to discuss the incident with Takaichi.

Koja said he would seek a thorough investigation and measures to prevent similar cases.

The alleged killing has revived longstanding concerns in Okinawa over the burden associated with hosting US forces.

Japan and the United States maintain a security alliance under which American forces are stationed across Japan, with Okinawa hosting a particularly large concentration of bases and personnel.

The US military presence is regarded by Tokyo as an important component of Japan’s national security, particularly amid growing regional tensions. But many Okinawa residents have opposed the concentration of military facilities on the islands and have called for stronger measures to reduce their impact on local communities.

The latest case is likely to intensify those concerns as Japanese and U.S. authorities investigate the circumstances surrounding Yagi’s death.

Japanese officials have stressed that the investigation must proceed according to law while calling on the US military to cooperate fully with authorities.

The US side has not publicly disclosed details of the evidence against Ballard. The legal proceedings will determine the allegations and evidence in the case.