Kyoto
Animation held a memorial ceremony to honor
the 36 victims of the 2019 arson attack at one of its facilities , as
the alleged culprit's trial remains ongoing in a higher court after the defense
appealed his death sentence.
The ceremony was held at the studio site in Kyoto's
Fushimi District, where the studio was once located, and the company urged fans
not to go to the venue to keep the solemnity of the event private. On
July 18, 2019, there were 70 workers inside the company's Studio No. 1 when
Shinji Aoba allegedly started the fire using gasoline. In addition to
the deceased, 32 others suffered injuries of varying severity.
Kyoto Animation, known internationally as KyoAni,
has produced popular animations such as “K-On!” and “The Melancholy of Haruhi
Suzumiya.” " Even after five years, the feeling of loss for our
dear colleagues remains in our hearts ," said an employee in
a message of condolence during the event, which was attended by about 140
people, including employees and the families of the deceased.
" We feel great sorrow and
resentment at the loss of our colleagues ," Kyoto Animation
president Hideaki Hatta said in his speech, adding that staff have worked
tirelessly to protect the company and continue the victims' legacy. Mentioning
the names of works produced after the incident, Hatta stated: " We
will continue to create and deliver works appreciating everyone's ambitions ."
The messages were disseminated by the company since
the ceremony was not open to the media. Kyoto Animation plans to erect
a cenotaph with the victims' names on the site where Studio No. 1 once stood, according
to a lawyer representing the company. There are also plans to rebuild a
facility for animation production, the lawyer reported.
The memorial event was held after a memorial to
remember the incident was completed earlier this month in a park in Uji, Kyoto,
where the company's headquarters are located. The monument, about three
meters high, features 36 birds rising into the sky, representing each of the
victims, and was designed by the company's creators.
Aoba, 46, was sentenced to death in
January by the Kyoto District Court for the attack, but has appealed the
sentence to the Osaka High Court. Aoba was detained
at the scene of the attack, but was not arrested by police until May 2020 after
receiving treatment for severe burns. He claimed that his attack was
motivated by the belief that Kyoto Animation had plagiarized a novel he had
submitted to a contest organized by the company. Aoba underwent six
months of psychiatric examinations before prosecutors decided in December 2020
that he could be held criminally responsible.
Why has it been five years and still no
justice has been brought to bear on the person responsible?
The judicial process in Japan can be long and
complex, especially in high-profile cases like this. After the attack, Aoba
had to receive extensive medical treatment for the burns he suffered, which
delayed his arrest until May 2020. Psychiatric examinations were
subsequently conducted to determine his mental capacity, which took an
additional six months. These examinations were necessary to ensure that Aoba
could be held criminally responsible.
In January 2024, the Kyoto District
Court sentenced him to death, but his defense appealed the sentence, moving the
case to the Osaka High Court. These types of
appeals are part of the court process and can take time while all aspects of
the case are reviewed.
Furthermore, the nature of the crime and its impact
on Japanese society have meant that this case has been followed with great care
and detail, to ensure that justice is properly served. Meanwhile, Kyoto
Animation and the families of the victims continue to seek justice and honor
the memory of the loved ones they lost in this tragic incident.
Source: KyodoNews
