TOKYO - The United States has agreed to hand over an American sailor suspected of killing a Japanese woman to local authorities, a Foreign Ministry official said Saturday.

Japan had asked for the suspect to be transferred to police custody from the U.S. Naval base in Yokosuka, and the Navy agreed, an official of the Foreign Ministry said on condition of anonymity, citing ministry policy.

It was not clear how soon the transfer would take place, he said.

Earlier Saturday, a Japanese court issued an arrest warrant on robbery-murder charges for the sailor, police said.

Police said Friday that the suspect admitted killing Yoshie Sato, 56, who was found beaten and unconscious in Yokosuka on Tuesday, and later died of internal bleeding.

its people like that that make the locals hate the military

Ugh!!

That just makes me sick

He needs his ass BEAT!!!!!

No kidding Breezy. I hope he rots!!!! From my understanding Japanese Prison is way more harsh than America. You are in a cell, and you only eat if you have someone willing to send you money or food otherwise you starve. That in my opinion is the way that it should be.

Things are pretty bad over here. The locals were already angry at the marines in okinawa - hence the mass exodus - and now all the ships except for df's are on midnight curfew. Japanese prisons aren't quite that harsh, but if you get arrested there's a 91% that you'll get convicted of all charges - their courts aren't exactly fair.

he deserves what he gets