US Marine murder arrest sparks protest in Tokyo (VIDEO)

Demonstrators marched on the American Embassy demanding its troops leave Japan Outrage over the alleged killing of a woman by a US Marine in Okinawa has erupted in Tokyo, where protesters marched on the US Embassy demanding an end to the American military presence in Japan.

The demonstrations follow the arrest of Lance Corporal Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, suspected of strangling Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel on the island on Saturday and stealing her belongings.

Ballard has denied the allegations.

Okinawa is home to several major US military installations and tens of thousands of American service members.

Footage from Tuesday’s rally shows demonstrators carrying placards demanding justice for Yagi and calling for US forces to leave Japan, before marching outside the embassy under a heavy police presence.

“Neither the US military nor the embassy has offered a proper apology.

It is only natural to be angry about this,” one protester said.

Another demonstrator said resentment over crimes involving US personnel had accumulated over decades and accused the authorities of ignoring repeated demands to remove American bases.

“It is truly infuriating that the presence of these bases leads to women being killed or raped like this.

I cannot forgive it,” the protester said.

Read more Japanese PM condemns alleged killing of woman by US Marine Tokyo has lodged a formal protest with Washington over the case.

Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi has described the alleged killing as a “heinous crime” and demanded full US cooperation with the investigation, tighter discipline among American personnel, and measures to prevent similar incidents.

Washington has expressed regret over Yagi’s death and pledged to cooperate with the Japanese authorities.

The case has reignited a decades-old dispute over the concentration of US military facilities in Okinawa.