| Akito Saito | |
| Birth Date: | 15 August 1999 |
| Birth Place: | Japan |
| Currentclub: | Kaya–Iloilo |
| Clubnumber: | 3 |
| Youthyears1: | 2015–2017 |
| Youthclubs1: | Jissen Gakuen High School |
| Collegeyears1: | 2018–2021 |
| College1: | Sanno Institute of Management |
| Years1: | 2022 |
| Clubs1: | Lernayin Artsakh |
| Years2: | 2022–2023 |
| Clubs2: | Aizawl |
| Caps2: | 21 |
| Goals2: | 1 |
| Years3: | 2023– |
| Clubs3: | Kaya–Iloilo |
is a Japanese professional footballer who plays as a centre back for Kaya–Iloilo of the Philippines Football League.
Saito studied and played football for Jissen Gakuen High School, which competed in the 2017 All Japan High School Soccer Tournament.[1] [2] After high school he played for the football team of Sanno University.[3] [4]
After graduating, Saito joined Lernayin Artsakh of the Armenian Premier League in July 2022. However, he would go on to make only one appearance for the club, leaving two months after he joined.[5]
After his short stint in Armenia, Saito joined fellow Japanese player Eisuke Mohri at I-League club Aizawl as part of their foreign reinforcements. He made his debut against Gokulam Kerala in a 1–0 loss,[6] playing the full 90 minutes, and scored his first goal for the club in a 1–0 win against NEROCA.[7] He would make 21 appearances that season.
In August 2023, Saito left Aizawl to join Kaya–Iloilo, the reigning champions of the Philippines Football League, as their designated Asian player for the club's campaign in the 2023–24 AFC Champions League,[8] [9] joining Japanese compatriot Daizo Horikoshi. He made his first appearance for the club in the domestic cup competition, the Copa Paulino Alcantara, as Kaya won 7–0 over rivals Loyola.[10]