The man accused of the animation studio fire that killed 36 people in Japan in 2019 and sparked a wave of emotion in the archipelago and abroad, admitted the facts on Tuesday, on the first day of his trial.
“It was me” who started the fire, said Shinji Aoba, 45, in the Kyoto magistrate court (western Japan), according to the Jiji news agency. “I didn’t think so many people were going to die and now I think I’ve gone too far,” he added, according to the same source.
Arrested after the fire at the Kyoto Animation studio that also left 32 injured, Shinji Aoba is being tried for five charges: murder, attempted murder, arson, trespassing and violation of the law on arms control.
The defendant, who was shown sitting in a wheelchair, was seriously injured in the disaster and had to be hospitalized, spending several weeks in a coma. Only after surgery did he regain the use of his voice.
On Tuesday, his lawyers pleaded not guilty on his behalf, arguing that he lacked “the ability to distinguish between right and wrong” due to his psychiatric disorder, according to state broadcaster NHK.
“Misplaced Grudge”
By contrast, prosecutors believe Shinji Aoba, charged in December 2020 after being found mentally fit to stand trial, was “fully responsible for his actions”, which they described as “revenge based on a misplaced grudge”.
The defendant’s motive remains unclear. Shinji Aoba had no known connection to the Kyoto Animation studio (nicknamed “KyoAni”) but blamed it for stealing a script idea from him, according to media reports. According to several testimonies, he broke into the studio building, spilled gasoline before setting it on fire, yelling, “You’re going to die.”
Chieko Takemoto, whose son died in the fire, told NHK ahead of the hearing that “the pain caused by this loss is still the same four years later.” “I want to know what state of mind the defendant is in today and whether he feels guilty for his crime,” added Yasuo, her husband.
On Tuesday, 500 people gathered in front of the Kyoto court in the hope of obtaining one of the 35 seats reserved for the public, a court spokesman told AFP. “I had to come, as an anime fan,” a student in line told NHK, adding of the defendant: “If he is aware of his fault, I want him to apologize.”
Recognized for its quality
The KyoAni tragedy had a great impact in Japan and abroad.
Founded in 1981, this studio known for its quality has produced cartoons often inspired by manga, including lucky star, The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, K-ON! or the animated movie Violet Evergardenstill in production at the time of the fire and which ended up being released in 2020 in Japanese theaters.
KyoAni was known for the refinement of its production and for its location in the former imperial capital of Japan, Kyoto, while most Japanese animation studios are based in Tokyo.
Source: BFM TV
