KYOTO, Japan – Defense lawyers in Kyoto, Japan have filed an appeal against the death sentence of Shinji Aoba, the arsonist convicted of killing 36 people in a fire at a Kyoto Animation Co. studio in 2019. This appeal comes after Aoba was sentenced to death by the Kyoto District Court, a decision that left many bereaved family members expressing relief. Aoba, 45, has admitted to starting the deadly fire, which also injured 32 people. His defense lawyers argued that he should not be held accountable for his actions due to severe delusions that prevented him from differentiating between right and wrong. Aoba claimed that Kyoto Animation, also known as Kyoani, had stolen his ideas.
Following the tragic incident, 36 people lost their lives in the blaze, including Junichi Uda, 34, who was involved in producing key frames for the movie “A Silent Voice.” His widow expressed that the bereaved families had been hoping for the death sentence. The ruling was handed down in the largest courtroom at the Kyoto District Court. All 88 seats in the room were filled when Presiding Judge Keisuke Masuda dismissed the defense’s claim of “insanity” and held Aoba responsible for the crime. Masuda announced the sentence, delivering the verdict of death to Aoba, who was seriously injured in the fire and now uses a wheelchair. The family members, who had earlier been forced to endure a long delay just to bring the suspect to trial, used handkerchiefs to wipe away tears and blow their noses.
Aoba, who was taken into custody shortly after the fire broke out, suffered severe burns and fell unconscious, leading to a 10-month delay before he was healthy enough to face arrest. Many of the family members used the victim participation system in the 23-session trial to ask questions directly to Aoba and express their opinions on what sentence he deserved. The court’s decision was met with different reactions from the bereaved families; while most were relieved, at least one family member expressed opposition to the death sentence for Aoba. Hideaki Hatta, president of Kyoto Animation, appeared as a witness in the trial and spoke about the magnitude of the loss, emphasizing the love employees had for their work.
In response to the sentencing, Hatta released a statement about continuing the dreams of the victims, expressing his bitter disappointment but pledging to continue producing works in their honor. This development in the case highlights the complex emotional impact on the families of the victims and the profound loss experienced by Kyoto Animation.