TOKYO: A court in Japan handed down a death sentence Thursday to the perpetrator of a 2019 arson assault on an animation studio that killed around 36 people, local media reported.
In 2019, a Kyoto animation studio fell victim to an arson attack, resulting in the death of 36 individuals and leaving numerous others injured, making it one of Japan’s deadliest incidents in recent decades.
The majority of the victims were young artists, and the tragedy sent shockwaves through the anime community. Shinji Aoba, aged 45, who admitted the attack, has been sentenced to death. Despite his legal team arguing for a more lenient punishment based on “mental incompetence,” the judges dismissed this claim, asserting that Aoba was fully aware of his actions.
“I have determined that the defendant was not mentally insane or weak at the time of the crime,” Chief Judge Masuda said during the ruling at Kyoto District Court.
The incident, which unfolded as one of the most alarming cases in Japan in recent decades, triggered widespread national mourning, capturing the close attention of both the country’s public and media.
Trapped on the upper floors of the studio during the spreading fire, numerous animation staff lost their lives. Aoba, the perpetrator, endured burns covering more than 90% of his body in the blaze and faced arrest only after recovering from extensive medical treatments.
