U.S. military restricts troops from leaving base in Japan after Marine is arrested in a killing

WASHINGTON — The U.S. military in Okinawa, Japan, is pausing all operations for two days, restricting the ability of troops to leave their base and ordering training after a Marine was arrested on suspicion of killing a local woman.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Watson, commander of III Marine Expeditionary Force, said in a letter posted on social media Tuesday that episodes like these “demand we pause for reflection” and that serving on the Japanese island “comes with responsibility.”

The arrest of the Marine has renewed protests against the heavy American military presence on the southern island and the rise in military-related crime. The killing could also complicate Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s push to strengthen the Japanese military on Okinawa and to work more closely with the U.S. military to deter China in the region.

U.S. Marine accused of killing woman in Japan

“We live, work, and socialize alongside the people of Okinawa; their home is our home,” Watson wrote. “Every interaction with our neighbors either builds or undermines the trust that is essential to our team. When that trust is damaged, it affects the strength of our alliance and the security of this region. Accordingly, we will take time to think…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/world