A US Marine has been arrested in Japan on suspicion of robbing and killing a local woman on the island of Okinawa, infohub.kz reports.

According to CNN, a US Marine Corps service member was detained on Sunday in a hotel room in Japan on suspicion of murder and robbery of a local resident. Okinawa police said the body of a 39-year-old woman was found lifeless early Saturday morning in her hotel room in the city of Naha on Okinawa Island; she was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police also told CNN that, based on the condition of the woman's body, she appeared to have been murdered.

Police added that the 20-year-old Marine was stationed at Futemma Air Base, also located on the island. Surveillance camera footage shows a man, believed to be a foreigner with a shaved head, entering the hotel room with the woman and later leaving the building with her belongings.

The US Embassy in Japan commented on the incident on social media X. "We are aware that a US service member has been detained in connection with the death of a Japanese citizen in Okinawa Prefecture. On behalf of the United States government, we extend our deepest condolences to the family of the deceased. An investigation is currently underway to establish all the circumstances of what happened, and the US government continues to assist in close cooperation with the Japanese government and local authorities," the statement said.

Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said on social media X that Japan is lodging a strong protest with the American side. "I offer my condolences over the death of the victim in the robbery and murder case that occurred in the city of Naha, Okinawa Prefecture, and I extend my sympathies to the family. As for this incident, the investigation by Okinawa Prefectural Police is ongoing, but today I learned of the arrest of a US Marine Corps service member. An incident of such extremely brutal and malicious nature is deeply regrettable. The Japanese government expresses a strong protest to the American side. We strongly demand maximum cooperation in the investigation, strict maintenance of discipline among US service members, and prevention of similar incidents. The government will make every effort to ensure an appropriate response to what happened," the prime minister's statement said.