22-Year-Old Influencer Fatally Stabbed While Livestreaming In Tokyo

Japanese authorities have arrested a suspect in connection with the fatal stabbing of a YouTuber who was attacked while livestreaming on a street in downtown Tokyo.

Tokyo Metropolitan Police detained Kenji Takano, 42, at the scene on Tuesday on suspicion of attempted murder. He was later transferred to prosecutors but has not yet been formally charged.

The victim, 22-year-old Airi Sato, was stabbed multiple times in the upper body and was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries. She was later pronounced dead. Witnesses and livestream viewers reported hearing her scream for help before the stream suddenly went dark.

According to police, the suspect and Sato knew each other through her livestreams, and Takano had met her in person on multiple occasions. Investigations revealed that their interactions involved a financial dispute, with Takano allegedly lending her money since 2022. Reports indicated that he had lent her a significant sum, and despite a court order for repayment, she had not returned the money.

Sato was attacked while livestreaming on an app called WhoWatch near the Takadanobaba train station in Shinjuku Ward. Witnesses described seeing a man wearing a black hat and mask assault her and then holding a smartphone toward her after she collapsed.

Authorities believe Takano traveled from Oyama City, about 60 miles north of Tokyo, after tracking Sato’s location through her livestream. Despite the severity of the attack, he told police he did not intend to kill her.

Japan maintains strict gun control laws, and violent crimes remain rare. However, recent years have seen an increase in high-profile knife attacks and incidents involving handmade weapons, coinciding with economic struggles and employment challenges in the country.