Satō was born on April 4, 1946, on Sakhalin Island, then part of occupied Japan following the end of World War II.
[1][5][6][7] He was part of a Kyokushin training group nicknamed "The Seven Samurai," which included Jōkō Ninomiya.
[2] He then retired from full-time karate training and competition and devoted himself to assisting his family's business.
[1] In 1977, Satō started his own karate style, Satojuku, in Mitaka, Tokyo, as a single dojo (training hall).
Tournament, held at Yoyogi National Gymnasium in Tokyo, Japan, with full-contact, knockdown rules of competition.