“I have a family, too,” he said on YouTube… The “Distance” Between Former Janpoke Member Shinji Saito and His Wife, Saori Seto

He must be struggling financially

Shinji Saito (44), a former member of the comedy trio “Jungle Pocket” who is facing charges including non-consensual sexual intercourse, has launched a YouTube channel.

The channel, titled “My Name Is Shinji Saito,” launched on October 25. The first video, titled “Former Jungle Pocket Member Shinji Saito Talks About His Current State of Mind,” updates viewers on his recent activities. He reportedly launched “Kuchen SAITO,” a company that sells Baumkuchen, and devotes much of the video to introducing his business.

There were also moments where he touched on his financial situation.

“Financially, things are tough,”

he said, bringing up the topic himself,

“I have people I owe money to, so I have to make repayments. I also have a family… I’d like to keep working on various projects,”

he said. Perhaps he’s in quite a bind, as he added,

“If there were people who would support someone like me—someone who acts as a sponsor and says, ‘I’ll support you’…,”

he even went so far as to solicit sponsors.

Saito was charged with non-consensual sexual intercourse and non-consensual indecent acts for sexually assaulting a woman inside a production van in July 2024, and his sixth court hearing took place this past August. The prosecution is seeking a seven-year prison sentence, and the verdict is scheduled to be handed down on November 16.According to a sports newspaper entertainment reporter:

“The victim submitted a LINE message she sent to her mother reporting the assault after being forced to engage in the act by Saito inside the production van, and this has been admitted as evidence. Saito, on the other hand, has been unable to present evidence showing that the act was consensual. While I think the prosecution’s request for a seven-year prison sentence is harsh, I expect he will be found guilty.”

If he receives a prison sentence, he could be incarcerated as early as the beginning of next year. In response to an inquiry from Friday Digital, a comedy industry insider familiar with Saito stated:

“I think he’ll appeal. Saito seemed dissatisfied that his arguments weren’t resonating with the judge.”

The sports newspaper reporter mentioned earlier also predicts that “Saito will appeal.”

“If he appeals, it will buy him some time. Otherwise, he wouldn’t be launching a YouTube channel at this point.”

They’ve been living apart for years, and

What caught my attention in the video was Saito’s remark, “I have a family, so…”

He married his wife, Saori Seto (38), in 2017. They had a son in 2019. Immediately after the incident, Seto defended Saito, but as time went on, she began to distance herself from him.

All photos of Saito have been deleted from Seto’s Instagram, which is now filled with posts about her fulfilling days with her son. On October 12, she posted a photo of herself holding hands with her eldest son, a lavish meal she said he praised, and an adorable letter from him.

“I haven’t heard that Saito and Seto have divorced, but they’ve presumably been living apart for several years now. Even so, Saito still wants to start over with his wife and son. During the trial, he refused to talk about his family. He probably wanted to avoid causing a stir. Even when asked for an interview, he wouldn’t discuss his family.

Still, considering the impact on the children, it’s unlikely that Seto will go back to living with her husband. After all, she didn’t appear as a character witness during the trial either,” said a television industry source.

Even so, was his remark, “I have a family, after all…,” meant to elicit public sympathy? The comedy industry insider mentioned earlier, who knows Saito, spoke on his behalf:

“He probably wants to believe he hasn’t completely cut ties with his family yet.”

Although he’s hoping to make a comeback as a YouTuber, public opinion remains harsh. Eventually, the court will render its verdict. Just how far will he be able to go?