Former Cosplayer Faces Trial in Japan as Disturbing Details of Abuse Emerge
In April of last year, we reported that a 23-year-old woman named Saki Sato, a former cosplayer, had been arrested for cutting off her boyfriend’s finger. Now, as her trial begins, even more macabre details about what she allegedly did to the man have come to light.
Content warning: this article contains sensitive descriptions related to severe physical violence and psychological abuse.
According to the prosecution, the events took place throughout 2024 during a relationship marked by extreme psychological control. The man, identified in court only as “A,” testified that Sato confiscated his phone and money, leaving him isolated and completely dependent on her to survive.
The first serious incident reportedly occurred in September 2024. According to testimony, Sato ordered her boyfriend to stand completely naked inside a bathtub. She then allegedly picked up a small pair of scissors and slowly began pressing them against his left nipple, warning him not to scream in order to avoid attracting police attention.
The man stated that he was forced to stuff a towel into his mouth as the pain intensified, until Sato fully cut off part of his nipple. Afterward, she photographed the wound, applied only a makeshift bandage, and refused to take him to the hospital. According to the testimony, the severed body part was then fed to Sato’s dog.
The second incident occurred about a month later and was even more violent. During a brief period of separation, the man had made a phone call to an adult entertainment establishment. Upon discovering this, Sato allegedly accused him of cheating and demanded that he cut off his own left ring finger, claiming this would ensure he could never wear a wedding ring for another woman.
When he attempted only to injure the finger superficially, Sato allegedly purchased an axe online, stating that she would perform the cut herself. The man testified that he ingested a large amount of sleeping pills in hopes of losing consciousness. Despite this, he woke up to find Sato already prepared.
In the kitchen, his finger was bound and placed on a cutting board. According to his testimony, Sato struck the finger with the axe, causing a partial amputation. He described the pain as unbearable and stated that Sato appeared excited as she finished cutting through the remaining flesh.
One of the most disturbing moments of the trial came when the prosecutor asked what happened afterward. The man testified that Sato fried part of the finger in a pan and ate it. Shocked, the prosecutor asked, “What kind of world does this story sound like it comes from?” to which the victim coldly replied, “The world of the yakuza.”
The remaining portion of the finger was reportedly placed in a container with chemicals and stored in a freezer. Once again, any request for medical treatment was denied, with Sato allegedly asking why he would try to reattach something she had “worked so hard to cut off.”
The defense attempted to undermine the testimony, questioning why the man did not contact police earlier and why he researched self-harm methods online. However, courtroom observers noted that his calm demeanor only reinforced the level of psychological submission he had been under.
Saki Sato denies all charges. The trial is ongoing, and further details are expected to emerge, including another alleged assault and the moment authorities finally intervened.