A 23-year-old Japanese cosplayer and former hostess club worker named Satō Saki is facing criminal charges in Osaka District Court for seriously injuring her live-in boyfriend, referred to as “Mr. A,” in a series of disturbing incidents.
She was arrested and indicted on three counts of bodily harm: severing her partner’s left nipple, amputating his left ring finger with an axe, and punching him repeatedly in the face. The trial has drawn significant public attention, with supporters of the defendant filling much of the courtroom’s 40-seat gallery.
Satō made headlines not only for the nature of the charges but for appearing in court wearing a fluffy panda-eared pajama set and slippers – an outfit that created a surreal atmosphere in the courtroom.
In a dramatic reversal at the February 18th hearing, Satō dropped her previous not-guilty plea and admitted to all three acts, though she maintained that her partner had consented to each one.
Regarding the nipple amputation, she claimed the idea came from a friend who said their own nipple had fallen off from scratching and then spontaneously regenerated. Satō said she became fascinated by this and asked her boyfriend if she could try the same “experiment” on him, and he agreed.
Mr. A had testified in a prior hearing that he was coerced into agreeing under threats that she would end the relationship and kick him out of the home. He described biting down on a towel to endure the pain, and alleged that Satō fed the severed nipple to a dog afterwards.
The couple that purchases an ax together…
Perhaps most disturbing was Satō’s explanation for why she photographed the aftermath. She said she looked at the images during moments of depression to remind herself that someone loved her enough to do this for her. That gave her comfort, she testified.
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She also admitted to sending the photographs to colleagues at her hostess club job, claiming it was a shared habit among them to report shocking events to each other. She denied any intent to humiliate her partner.
The second incident – the finger amputation – allegedly stemmed from a possessive desire: according to the article, Satō reportedly said she wanted to ensure that even if they broke up, he would never be able to wear a wedding ring with another woman. The couple reportedly ordered the axe together through Amazon.
The trial continues, with the central legal question being whether the alleged consent was genuine or the result of coercion and psychological control.
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Sources
《パンダのパジャマ姿で出廷》「ほんまに乳首再生してんのか見たい。切らせて」コスプレイヤー・佐藤紗希被告が語った、同棲彼氏の“乳首切断”戦慄の動機. LiveDoor News
