The Reason Behind the 25 Million Yen Settlement Breakdown in the Jungle Pocket Saito Case

“I got scared, thinking he might be abnormal.”

The hidden side revealed in the trial of former “Jungle Pocket” member Shinji Saito (43) has been causing a stir among the public.

At the second hearing held on March 17 at the Tokyo District Court, the alleged victim, Ms. A, appeared via video link. One vivid testimony after another came out.

She first met Saito during a program shoot in July 2024. According to Ms. A, while the two were alone talking inside the location bus during a shop-hopping shoot, Saito said things like, “You’re cute,” and suddenly touched her cheek and kissed her. Ms. A revealed:

“For him to kiss me while I was working in the morning. I got scared, thinking he might be abnormal.”

She further testified that, ultimately, inside the location bus, she was subjected to a deep kiss, had her chest touched, and had his genitals forcibly put into her mouth. Ms. A said:

“I froze and gagged twice. It was truly disgusting and humiliating.”

Additionally, Ms. A’s mother also appeared in court that day and showed strong anger toward Saito, saying:

“I hated that my daughter’s body had been defiled.”

25 million yen as a legal strategy

At the first hearing held on March 13, the defense acknowledged that acts such as kissing and oral sex had occurred, but Saito denied the charges, claiming, “I believed there was consent,” and asserted his innocence.

One of the oddities felt in this trial is why Saito, who is claiming innocence, offered a high settlement amount of 25 million yen. According to a police-related source:

“As a legal strategy, settlement money may be offered to seek a suspended sentence or reduced punishment. However, in cases like this, it usually does not exceed 10 million yen.”

In fact, actor Hirofumi Arai, who was indicted in 2019 for forcible sexual intercourse, paid a 3 million yen settlement and reached an agreement, resulting in his first trial sentence being reduced by one year from five years in prison. Compared to that, 25 million yen is quite a large amount.

However, the alleged victim has refused the settlement. Behind this, a judicial reporter from a national newspaper who observed the trial says:

“There may have been conditions attached from Saito’s side. The conditions for offering the 25 million yen settlement included two points: allowing the continuation of his entertainment activities and not seeking punishment. This essentially silences the victim, so it’s understandable that Ms. A would find it unacceptable. Also, in court, both mother and daughter showed strong anger toward Saito, and their desire for punishment seems quite strong.”

Incidentally, the presiding judge in this trial is a woman. It seems certain that Saito is in a cornered situation.

[YouTube] On FRIDAY Digital’s “Entertainment Reporter Channel,” active entertainment reporters further analyze and explain the oddities that arose in the trial under the title: “Claiming innocence in court Former ‘Jungle Pocket’ member Saito’s hidden side exposed [Thorough Explanation by Entertainment Reporters #17],” based on factors such as his two past infidelity scandals and his character, including selling Baumkuchen immediately after the trial.