Takaichi decries alleged Okinawa murder by U.S. Marine, urges cooperation

… <p>Tokyo has lodged protests with the United States at various levels amid outrage over the case. Police said Sunday that Devin Ballard, a 20-year-old U.S. Marine stationed in the southern prefecture, had been arrested on suspicion of robbing and murdering local woman Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in the prefectural capital Naha on Saturday.</p> <p>Okinawa police on Monday referred him to prosecutors.</p> <p>Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara, who also serves as minister in charge of mitigating the impact of U.S. forces in Okinawa, told a press conference earlier Monday, "Japan and the United States will work together to thoroughly prevent a recurrence."</p> <p>Past crimes involving U.S. service members have angered residents of Okinawa, which hosts the bulk of U.S. military installations in Japan.</p> <p>Okinawa Gov. Genta Koja summoned Japanese and U.S. officials over the latest case on Monday, lodging a protest with Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, the U.S. military's Okinawa area coordinator, and Andrew Ou, principal officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Okinawa.</p> …