Former Japanese Trade Ministry bureaucrat sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexual assault

The case against former Ministry of Trade bureaucrat Sato Dai, who was accused of sexual assaults in the capital between July and December 2022, was tried in the Tokyo District Court.

According to the indictment, the prosecution demanded a 13-year prison sentence for the defendant Sato, who sexually assaulted women in various hotels and restaurants in Tokyo after adding sleeping pills to their drinks.

Following the court's decision, former bureaucrat Sato, aged 34, was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually assaulting six women.

In the verdict, Sato's crimes were described as "dangerous, treacherous, and selfish, disregarding dignity."

Chief Judge Nakao Yoshifumi stated, "He mixed sleeping pills into victims drinks to ensure the victims couldn't resist. This is disgusting crime that disregards the victim's decision-making ability by stripping away their conciousness, and then their dignity."

The Ministry of Trade in Japan had removed Sato from his position in May 2023 after he reportedly admitted to the allegations during previous hearings.