A 45-year-old man in Japan has been given the death penalty for setting fire to a Kyoto animation studio in 2019, resulting in the deaths of 36 people and leaving many injured.
Shinji Aoba admitted to the arson attack, but his defense claimed he was mentally incompetent.
The court, however, dismissed this argument, asserting that Aoba was aware of his actions.
Chief Judge Masuda stated, “I have determined that the defendant was not mentally insane or weak at the time of the crime.”
He acknowledged the severity of the incident, describing the death toll as “extremely serious and tragic.”
The tragic event unfolded as Aoba targeted the animation studio, causing the deaths of mostly young artists who were trapped on upper floors as the fire rapidly spread.
The incident shocked the anime community and led to national mourning in Japan.
Aoba, an author, believed his work had been stolen by Kyoto Animation, alleging plagiarism of a novel he submitted to a contest held by the studio.
In July 2019, he entered the studio, poured petrol on the ground floor, and ignited it while shouting “Drop dead.”
During his guilty plea in September 2023, Aoba expressed regret, stating, “I felt I had no other option but to do what I did.”
He suffered severe burns in the fire, leading to his arrest after recovering from operations.
Prosecutors argued for the death penalty, emphasizing Aoba’s motivation based on the delusion that his work had been plagiarized.
However, they asserted that he was fully aware of his actions and not controlled by his supposed delusions.
The court’s decision came after a detailed examination of victim testimonies.
More than half of the animation studio’s workforce perished, and another 32 were injured in the devastating incident.
Family members of the victims were present in the courtroom, some visibly emotional as the judge recounted the details of Aoba’s crime.
Aoba kept his head bowed as the death penalty sentence was announced.
Japan maintains the death penalty for its most heinous crimes, such as multiple murders.
The Kyoto Animation studio, renowned for producing acclaimed films and graphic novels like K-On! and The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya, suffered a significant loss in the tragic event.
Zelensky Accuses Russia Of Playing With Lives In Downed Plane Incident
