Throughout her life, Sorane Sakihama, a 24-year-old Okinawan, has been exposed to tales of offenses committed by U.S. soldiers against Japanese women in Okinawa, Japan.
When a U.S. Marine was apprehended this week on suspicion of robbing and murdering a local woman at a hotel in Naha, the capital of Okinawa, Sakihama felt compelled to take action.
Expressing her sentiments to As It Happens host Nil Köksal, Sakihama emphasized, “As an Okinawan, I am determined to prevent further victimization. We must put an end to this cycle of violence.”
Sakihama played a pivotal role in orchestrating a demonstration outside the U.S. embassy in Tokyo, drawing hundreds of participants who demanded justice and the removal of U.S. military installations from Okinawa.
This demonstration was part of a series of protests held across the country during the week. In Naha, about 160 individuals gathered in protest on Sunday, advocating for the expulsion of U.S. bases from the region.
One of the placards displayed at the event read: “We’ve had enough of this!”
A U.S. Marine has been arrested on suspicion of robbing and killing a local woman in Okinawa. The killing has drawn outrage on the island and inflamed longstanding tensions over U.S. military bases. Sorane Sakihama, who organized a protest outside the U.S. embassy in Tokyo, spoke to As It Happens host Nil Köksal.
Authorities in Okinawa have detained Lance Cpl. Devin Jacob Ballard, 20, stationed at Futenma Air Station, on charges of strangling 39-year-old Anna Yagi and pilfering her belongings on Saturday. Ballard has refuted the accusations, according to the police.
Although Sakihama, a native of Chatan, did not have a personal connection with Yagi, she has encountered individuals who knew her.
According to Sakihama, “She is described as a compassionate and generous individual by those who knew her.”
Devin Jacob Ballard, a U.S. Marine, has been arrested on suspicion of robbing and murdering Anna Yagi, 39. Police say he denies the allegations. (Kotaro Ueda/Kyodo
