Japanese prosecutors indict US Marine in Okinawa robbery-murder case

Devin Ballard, who is stationed at Futenma Air Base, is accused of strangling the woman with a phone cord and taking her backpack containing a wallet, The Straits Times reported, citing the indictment. ABC News, citing Japan's public broadcaster NHK, reported the same charges.

Japan's government lodged a strong protest with the United States after the killing, and Okinawa Governor Genta Koja has pressed the central government for preventive measures, The Straits Times reported.

Why it matters: The case has renewed anti-base sentiment in Okinawa, which hosts the bulk of US military installations in Japan.