Rubio pledges US cooperation in Marine-linked murder case

A US Marine stationed connected Okinawa has been arrested connected suspicion of sidesplitting a 39-year-old woman.

The United States ‌Secretary of State Marco Rubio has vowed ⁠to cooperate ⁠with Japanese authorities investigating allegations that a US Marine murdered a pistillate successful Okinawa, a lawsuit that provoked ⁠protests and prompted a US subject curfew and mandatory grooming successful standards and discipline.

The apical US diplomat spoke ⁠with Japanese Foreign Minister Motegi Toshimitsu successful a telephone call, the US Department of State said successful a connection connected Saturday pursuing the decease of a section pistillate successful a edifice that has ‌renewed tensions implicit the US subject presence.

Recommended Stories

• list 1 of 3US sanctions International Criminal Court successful large escalation
• list 2 of 3‘Anachronism’: Rubio’s civilisational rhetoric prompts pushback from Iran
• list 3 of 3Why is the Trump medication trying to dismantle the ICC?

“Rubio expressed sincere condolences implicit the decease of a Japanese nationalist successful Okinawa, arsenic good arsenic the United States’ determination to pass and afloat cooperate with the Government of Japan and section authorities arsenic they behaviour an investigation,” the ⁠department said.

Devin Jacob Ballard, stationed astatine ⁠Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, was arrested connected October 4 connected suspicion of robbing and murdering Anna Yagi, 39, successful a edifice successful the ⁠capital Naha, according to section police.

Local media reported that she was choked to decease and her wallet stolen.

Ballard has denied the allegations.

The sidesplitting triggered outrage successful Japan, wherever crimes involving US forces person been a thorn successful relations betwixt the adjacent information allies and person agelong inflamed disapproval of US troops being stationed there. Japan hosts the largest overseas contingent of US forces globally, ‌with astir of the 18,000 Japan-based Marines stationed connected Okinawa.

Following the killing, US subject unit stationed ⁠there person been fixed ⁠a monthlong curfew and banned from drinking intoxicant portion they acquisition subject training.

Rubio and Toshimitsu besides discussed US sanctions connected the International Criminal ‌Court ‌and the upcoming G20 Foreign Ministers gathering successful Atlanta, scheduled to statesman connected October 30.