Horrific Arson Attacker Admits to Killing 36, Seeking Reduced Punishment in Kyoto Animation Studio Trial
Shinji Aoba, the defendant in the tragic arson attack that claimed the lives of 36 individuals at Kyoto Animation Co. studio, has admitted to the charges in his first hearing at the Kyoto District Court on September 5. Aoba, 45, is accused of pouring gasoline and igniting a devastating inferno inside the No. 1 studio in Kyoto’s Fushimi Ward on July 18, 2019, resulting in the deaths of 36 people and the attempted killing of 34 others.
In a prepared statement, Aoba expressed his acknowledgment of the indictment, saying, I am positive that I did (what is written in the indictment). At the time, I thought I had no other choice, but I did not expect so many people would die. However, his lawyers pleaded not guilty on his behalf, claiming that he was mentally incompetent.
While the defense argues for his reduced punishment based on a substantially diminished capacity, Aoba arrived at the courtroom in a wheelchair, pushed by a court official, with his face still showing the effects of burn treatment. Having suffered burns all over his body, Aoba remained unconscious for an extended period and underwent multiple skin grafts.
Prosecutors described the motive behind the arson attack as revenge driven by a misdirected grudge. They revealed that Aoba’s novel had failed to win a contest sponsored by Kyoto Animation in 2017, leading him to falsely believe that the company had stolen his ideas.
With the number of victims totaling 36, this case is considered the largest murder case in Japan during the postwar period. The National Police Agency has confirmed that it is the highest number of victims since at least 1989. According to the indictment, Aoba entered the three-story studio around 10:30 a.m., doused employees and their surroundings on the ground floor with gasoline, and ignited the flammable liquid with a lighter. The studio, where 70 employees were working, was nearly completely burnt down.
Key to the trial will be the determination of Aoba’s mental competence. He was indicted in December 2020, following a six-month psychiatric evaluation under detention, leading prosecutors to conclude that he can be held liable for the crime. The Kyoto District Court conducted a separate mental examination as requested by the defense, but the results have not been disclosed. Aoba’s lawyers claim that he was mentally incompetent or had diminished capacity, which, under the Criminal Law, could exempt him from criminal punishment.
A ruling in this case is expected on January 25 after 143 days of trial proceedings. The trial will feature testimonies from doctors who conducted psychiatric evaluations, the president of Kyoto Animation, and other witnesses. Bereaved family members will also have the opportunity to question the defendant in court.
Prosecutors have only released the names of 17 murder victims, withholding the identities of the remaining 19 at the request of their bereaved families. The 34 survivors have not been named either.
This tragic arson attack at Kyoto Animation Co. studio shocked Japan and the world with its devastating loss of life. The trial will shed light on the circumstances surrounding this horrific event and determine the defendant’s culpability in this unimaginable tragedy.
