OSAKA (TR) – The Osaka District Court earlier this month handed a suspended sentence to a 23-year-old woman accused of subjecting her boyfriend to gruesome abuse, including severing his nipple and chopping off his finger with an axe.
Immediately after avoiding a prison term, Saki Sato smiled broadly, skipped and flashed double peace signs with her hands, reports Shukan Bunshun (June 27).
On June 19, Sato was sentenced to three years in prison, suspended for five years with probation, by presiding judge Yusuke Fujinaga.
As previously reported, Sato’s first crime was carried out on September 30, 2023, when she cut off the man’s nipple with scissors. On October 19, she used an axe to sever the ring finger on his left hand.
“He didn’t seem to mind”
Throughout the trial, Sato repeatedly attempted to justify the horrific mutilation, claiming her boyfriend had consented to the acts. Regarding the severing of his nipple, she testified in court, “I asked if I could experiment, and he said ‘okay.’ He didn’t seem to mind.”
She also claimed her boyfriend “wanted to go through with” having his left ring finger chopped off, adding that the two of them had purchased the axe together on Amazon.co.jp.
However, her defense quickly unraveled. When a prosecutor pointed out that she had initially blamed the injuries on the victim’s own self-harm during her first hearing, Sato sheepishly admitted she had been lying all along.
“Do you really think three million yen [in settlement money] means you are forgiven for cutting off a nipple, severing a finger, and beating him in the face?” the prosecutor asked.
“I don’t think so,” Sato replied.
“Remain for the rest of his life”
Judge Fujinaga completely dismissed Sato’s claim that she mistakenly believed she had the victim’s consent. “You have inflicted injuries on the victim that will remain for the rest of his life. Do not forget that,” the judge admonished.
Despite the gruesome nature of the crimes, the court granted a suspended sentence in consideration of the out-of-court settlement, Sato’s eventual confession and her ongoing efforts to receive treatment for borderline personality disorder.
Sato reportedly wept continuously while the verdict was being read. Yet, the moment the proceedings concluded, her tears vanished as she skipped away with her middle and index fingers of both hands in the shape of a “V” — a jarring display that painted a picture of a woman entirely devoid of empathy for her victim’s lifelong pain.
