A 22-year-old social media influencer was brutally killed after being stabbed multiple times while livestreaming.
Airi Sato, a popular online personality, was broadcasting on the app WhoWatch while walking alone near JR Takadanobaba Station in Shinjuku Ward around 9:50AM when she was ambushed, Kyodo News reported.
As the attack unfolded, horrified bystanders heard Sato screaming for help. Viewers of her livestream also reacted in real time, with her feed suddenly cutting to black as sirens blared in the background.
Concerned followers flooded the chat with frantic messages, asking, “Where did she go?” and “Someone help,” per The New York Times.
Police in Tokyo have arrested a 42-year-old man named Kenichi Takano in connection with the fatal attack on Sato.
Local reports suggest that Takano was able to track the influencer’s location by analyzing the background of her livestream. Jiji Press reported that he had learned the day before that she would be in Tokyo, seemingly using that knowledge to confront her.
Shocking images of Sato, who had more than 2,600 followers, lying motionless on the ground after the attack quickly spread online.
When authorities arrived, they found the 22-year-old with multiple stab wounds to her face, neck, chest, and abdomen. She was rushed to the hospital but was later pronounced dead.
Police arrested Kenichi Takano at the scene. He was allegedly found standing next to the late influencer’s body. Officers discovered two knives in his possession – a bloodied survival knife and another tucked inside his backpack.
Witnesses reported that Takano not only stabbed Sato but also struck her as she lay on the ground. Disturbingly, he appeared to take photos or record video of her after the attack.
Although he admitted to killing Sato, Takano insisted he didn’t mean to take her life. He was initially charged with attempted murder, though local outlets reported that authorities plan to upgrade the charge to murder.
Investigators believe the attack was premeditated rather than random. Reportedly, Takano has been following Sato since 2021 and started financially supporting her in 2022. He allegedly told police he had lent her around $13,500, which she never repaid.
Local reports also suggest there had been prior tensions between the two. Takano and Sato had reportedly consulted with police outside Tokyo at some point, though the details of those interactions remain unclear.
While Japan is known for its low crime rate, Sato’s killing is eerily similar to a previous case in which a 33-year-old female influencer was fatally stabbed by her 26-year-old ex-boyfriend. That attacker was sentenced to 17 years in prison.
