Rubio pledges to cooperate in the case of the killing of a Japanese woman by a Marine

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US Secretary of State Marco Rubio pledged to cooperate with Japanese authorities investigating allegations that a US Marine killed a woman in Okinawa Prefecture, a case that sparked protests and prompted the US military to impose a curfew and mandatory training on standards and discipline.

The US State Department said in a statement following the killing of a Japanese woman in a hotel, which renewed tensions over the US military presence, that Rubio spoke with his Japanese counterpart, Motegi Toshimitsu, in a phone call, according to Japan Today newspaper on Sunday.

The ministry added: “Rubio expressed his sincere condolences over the death of a Japanese national in Okinawa, in addition to the United States’ insistence on communicating and fully cooperating with the government of Japan and local authorities as they conduct an investigation.”

Devin Jacob Ballard, who was serving at Futenma Air Base, was arrested on October 4 on suspicion of robbing and killing Anna Yagi, 39, at a hotel in the capital, Naha, according to local police. Ballard denied the accusations.

US military personnel serving in Okinawa Prefecture were imposed a month-long curfew and were banned from consuming alcohol while undergoing disciplinary training following the incident.

Japan hosts the largest American military force stationed outside the United States in the world, with most of the 18,000 Marines stationed in Okinawa Prefecture.

Rubio and Toshimitsu also discussed US sanctions imposed on the International Criminal Court and the scheduled meeting of G20 foreign ministers in Atlanta, scheduled to begin on October 30.