Sakamoto received medals at both of her 2016–17 JGP assignments – silver in France and gold in Japan – and then won the Japanese junior title. In December, she took the bronze medal at the JGP Final in Marseille, France, and placed seventh competing on the senior level at the Japan Championships. She was assigned to replace the injured Satoko Miyahara at the 2017 Asian Winter Games but withdrew due to the flu. She went on to win bronze at the 2017 World Junior Championships. She was invited to skate in the gala at the 2017 World Team Trophy as the junior worlds bronze medalist.