Posted on 10/05/2026 6:48:23 AM PDT by BenLurkin
For many Okinawa locals, the arrest of a US soldier accused of robbing and killing a woman in a hotel room has reignited decades of frustration over crimes involving US military personnel there.
"Honestly my first reaction was, 'Not again,'" 52-year-old longtime Okinawa resident Ai Sato told the BBC.
"Nothing has changed since I was a child. How many times are we going to repeat the same thing, create more victims, cause their families to suffer, and ultimately, cause the people of Okinawa to grieve?"
Akemi Oshiro, a 62-year-old Ginowan resident shared similar sentiments.
"I know we shouldn't get used to terrible things like this, but because they keep happening, I've stopped being surprised," she told the BBC.
Okinawa hosts the largest US military presence in Japan. It is home to several US military bases and tens of thousands of American troops.
US Marine Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, was arrested by Japanese police on Sunday. Police say an investigation is underway and that Ballard is in Japanese custody because the alleged crime was unrelated to official military duties.
Whether a US service member is acting in the performance of official duty or not can determine which country has primary jurisdiction. When Japan has jurisdiction, but the suspect is under US custody, they can retain custody until Japan brings charges.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
If guilty, let the Japs execute him. They don’t botch executions in Japan.
I think we need a little more information than “a US marine killed a woman”
They have his picture plastered everywhere so it’s not who you might typically expect.
If found guilty, he should be put down like the feral he is.
I did not hear about this until last week. But immediately after World War II, Okinawan Vigilantes kidnapped and killed three Black Marines who had been raping women on the island. They have a long history of misconduct of all kinds there
“Not again”? How many times has it happened there? How does it compare to Japanese people in America murdering Americans? Iv3 only ever read of 2 incidents of i5 happening in japan in a few decades of reading news. (Not saying it isn’t an common there, just saying it’s all I’ve heard about)
after WW2?
Certainly different times
Guess we’ll never know the soldier’s side of the story since they were murdered without trial.
s reignited decades of frustration over crimes involving US military personnel there.
Yes, it has happened and it looks like the justice system is working.
“If a person commits a crime and doesn’t repent, what good did it do him? Someone else might just as well have committed the crime.” Mark Twain.
The point being, if a local had done this, would it be international news?
The Japanese can treat the convicted killer as harshly as they want.
But after what they did in WWII, they don’t get to act morally outraged.
Killing a rapist doesn’t murder.
This is bigger than a justice issue.
Let the jarhead fry.
We must keep Okinawa.
Let the Japanese take care of him. Their death row works a lot different than the US . They can just drop the news on you hours prior to . The death penalty over there is hanging. I doubt that they screw that up.
It’s been 80 years since, and they are one of our best allies.
“””””How does it compare to Japanese people in America murdering Americans?”””””
If I had a dollar for everytime Japanese Americans commit random murders...........
You would not have enough money to buy a Big Mac, fries, and a Coke.
There are probably years that I could buy a Bic lighter.
What the Japanese did to Okinawans was worse.
I disagree, he is one of ours and if he is a murderer it is our responsibility to hang him. It will ensure he gets a fair trial and shows the Japanese we are honorable partners.
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