Japanese Influencer’s Killer Sentenced to 16 Years After Stabbing Her 55 Times on Livestream

On Wednesday, a district court in Tokyo sentenced a 44-year-old man to 16 years imprisonment for the murder of a 22-year-old woman, who had been streaming live on a street in Tokyo in the previous year.

On March 11, 2025, Kenichi Takano was convicted of killing Airi Sato in the Takadanobaba district of Shinjuku Ward. The sentence was handed down to the killer after a lower sentence of 20 years was requested by prosecutors.

Presiding Judge Shunichi Ido described the act as one that caused a lot of pain and suffering to the victim.

It was ruled in the court that Takano stabbed Sato more than 55 times in the face and chest following her failure to repay almost all the 2.55 million yen borrowed from him. According to the court ruling, Sato and Takano had known each other through her livestreaming.

The judge argued that it would be difficult to prove that Takano did not have any intention of killing when he attacked the victim. He highlighted how Takano continued stabbing her even after the collapse and how he asked himself whether she was dead.

According to reports from The Japan Times, Sato used to earn some income by livestreaming on the WhoWatch app, and Takano befriended her through her livestreams. Court documents cited in the article indicate that Takano had spent 2.4 million yen (approximately $14,800) on in-app purchases and on food and drink in a hostess bar where she used to work.

In their conclusion, prosecutors noted that Sato’s failure to repay the loan made Takano feel cheated, thereby fueling resentment. It was also argued that following the crime, Takano streamed Sato’s lifeless body and kicked her head while commenting that she was still alive.

According to Nippon.com, the trial took place under the lay judge system, in which civilian judges work alongside professional judges to deliver verdicts and sentences for serious crimes.

The Japan Times noted that in the trial, defense lawyers explained that Takano had unsuccessfully tried to recover his money through a civil lawsuit, which left him financially distressed and even contemplating suicide prior to the murder.

According to reports published by Kyodo News earlier, the incident occurred at 9:50 a.m. on March 11, 2025, at JR Takadanobaba Station, where Sato was streaming alone, and Takano knew she would be in Tokyo.