On Friday, Japanese police announced that they had taken into custody a suspect named Kenji Takano in the deadly stabbing of a YouTuber named Airi Sato who was livestreaming on a street in the heart of Tokyo
Police in Japan have arrested a man after a YouTuber was stabbed to death while livestreaming in downtown Tokyo and officers said they arrested Kenji Takano, 42, on suspicion of attempted murder at the scene in the Shinjuku district following the attack on Tuesday.
Who is Kenichi ‘Kenji’ Takano, suspect who stabbed Japanese influencer Airi Sato to death during livestream video in Tokyo, Japan
Sato was walking by herself while she livestreamed in Shinjuku Ward when the attack happened around 9:50 a.m. on Tuesday, March 11 and Takano, who was arrested at the scene, found Sato by using the landmarks and buildings in her background to track her down during her livestream.
Kenji Takano, 42, was immediately taken into custody by Tokyo Metropolitan Police on suspicion of attempting to kill someone on Tuesday. Although he has not yet been charged, he has already been forwarded to the prosecutors.
After being attacked, 22-year-old Airi Sato was taken to a hospital on Tuesday with serious injuries, including around 30 stab wounds to her upper torso, according to police. Later, she was declared deceased.
Ayer les conte sobre una streamer que fue apuñalada en vivo en Tokio.
El culpable resulto ser un tipo de 42 años llamado Kenichi Takano
Y la fallecida le debía dinero.
Aquí el momento de su arresto.#ChismecitosDeJapon pic.twitter.com/c9PEL3BzKO— Hikari (@Dj_Hikari) March 13, 2025
The New York Times reports that before her WhoWatch broadcast went dark, observers and livestream viewers heard Sato yelling, “Help!” Emergency vehicle sirens could be heard by those watching live.
Her audience was reportedly posting questions in the chat, like “Where did she go?” and “Someone help!”
According to police, the attacker, age 42 Japanese Kenji Takano repeatedly stabbed 22-year-old victim Airi Sato in the upper body before she was taken to a hospital with serious injuries. She was later declared dead.
She screamed for help, and the video abruptly went blank, according to witnesses and spectators.
According to media reports, including the Asahi newspaper, the suspect informed police that he had seen Sato in person several times and had met her through livestreaming. He also claimed that they had a money disagreement.
Police said Sato and Takano became familiar with each other in 2021 and he is believed to have allowed her to borrow money beginning around 2022.
“There was trouble. I had lent her more than 2 million yen ($13,500) but she did not return it,” he told officers.
Both the influencer and the suspect had already spoken with police outside of Tokyo regarding the dispute.
NEW: Horror on Livestream: Japanese Influencer Fatally Stabbed as Thousands Watch
Airi Sato, 22, was broadcasting live from Tokyo’s Shinjuku Ward when Kenji Takano, a 42-year-old follower, attacked her near Takadanobaba Station. As more than 6,000 viewers watched in real-time,… pic.twitter.com/VCxvGFoA5L
— MAGAgeddon (@MAGAgeddon) March 14, 2025
According to broadcaster NHK, Sato owed a substantial amount of money by Takano, and she failed to repay him in spite of a court order. After Sato announced the webcast, Takano came from Oyama city, which is roughly 100 kilometres (60 miles) north of Tokyo, to carry out the attack. According to media sources, authorities were able to locate her by looking at the tape. He denied intending to kill her to the police.
Police said he had two knives in his possession at the time of his arrest.
Although violent crimes are relatively uncommon in Japan, where gun control laws are very stringent, there have been some high-profile knife assaults and other incidents involving handguns in recent years, which coincided with a dismal job and salary outlook.