Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook provided the following readout:
This morning, Secretary of Defense Ash Carter spoke by phone with his Japanese counterpart Minister of Defense Gen Nakatani.
Secretary Carter conveyed his sadness and his regret over the murder of a young woman in Okinawa and extended his sincere apologies to the victim’s family and friends. He also expressed his sympathies to the people of Japan.
Secretary Carter told Minister Nakatani that the United States hopes the perpetrator of this crime will be held accountable under the Japanese legal system. Secretary Carter further pledged that the Department of Defense is determined to cooperate fully with the Government of Japan and local authorities regarding the investigation so that justice can be carried out. He said the department will do all it can to prevent incidents like this in the future.
Despite this shocking and tragic incident, Secretary Carter and Minister Nakatani reaffirmed that the U.S.-Japan alliance remains steadfast and continues to serve as the cornerstone of peace and security in the Asia-Pacific region. They both said they look forward to discussing the security relationship when they meet next month during the upcoming Shangri-La Dialogue.