Growing outrage in Japan after US Marine arrested in woman’s killing

The 20-year-old soldier denies the charge as protests held on Okinawa and in Tokyo.Japan’s prime minister says the killing of a woman, allegedly by a US Marine stationed in Okinawa, is a “heinous crime”, and she has called on the United States to “thoroughly enforce discipline” amid growing outrage in Japan.Sanae Takaichi told lawmakers on Monday that the government has urged the US to provide “full cooperation with the investigation” and called for “strict discipline among US military personnel”.Recommended Stories list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4Japan turns to Canadian crude as Asia feels Hormuz supply pinchlist 2 of 4US aircraft carrier expected to relieve USS Lincoln in Middle Eastlist 3 of 4Japanese PM-backed candidate wins Okinawa gubernatorial electionlist 4 of 4Japan summons US envoy as Marine arrested over killing in Okinawaend of listAbout 54,000 US military personnel, including 18,000 Marines, are stationed in Japan. The majority of these forces are based in Okinawa, a Japanese island that came under US administrative control at the end of World War II and was returned to Japan in 1972.Crimes including rapes, assaults, hit-and-run and drink-driving incidents by US personnel have long sparked protests on the island.The new case involves a 20-year-old Marine who was arrested on suspicion of killing a 39-year-old woman at a hotel in the city of Naha and stealing her wallet, police said on Sunday.The Kyodo News agency, quoting police, reported that the woman’s body was found in a hotel room and she appeared to have been strangled.The Marine was arrested by Japanese police on Sunday and sent to prosecutors on Monday, according to Kyodo News. He has denied the charges.“The occurrence of such a heinous crime is extremely regrettable,” Takaichi said.Chief Cabinet Secretary Minoru Kihara told reporters on Monday that Tokyo will “continue to urge the US side to thoroughly enforce discipline” among its soldiers in Japan.