A Japanese man has been sentenced to 16 years in prison after fatally stabbing a woman who was livestreaming on a street in Tokyo.
44-year-old Kenichi Takano was convicted of killing 22-year-old Airi Sato, who was livestreaming on an app as her source of income, in March of 2025. Takano stabbed Sato multiple times in the face, chest, and other areas with a knife, leaving her with 55 stab wounds.
Takano became acquainted with Sato through livestreaming. He had spent roughly $14,800 on items through the app. He also paid to eat and drink at a bar where she worked, and claimed he had lent her an additional ¥2.5 million.
During the court, prosecutors said that Sato did not pay back the debt, which made Takano feel resentment and feel as though he was deceived. Takano used Sato’s livestream to locate her, where he proceeded to attack her and livestream her body covered in blood, kicking her in the head and saying, “She still moves.” Prosecutors also said he “trampled on her dignity.”
Takano reportedly admitted to law enforcement that he had seen a notice about Sato’s livestreaming schedule and traveled from his home in Tochigi Prefecture on the morning of the attack. According to Dexerto, over 6,000 viewers were watching the stream when Sato began screaming.
The Japan Times reported that the defense argued Takano had attempted to recover the money through a civil lawsuit but was unable to do so, which left him feeling desperate. His attorneys claimed that he then became so overwhelmed that he considered suicide.
