5 years without justice for Kyoto Animation

Kyoto Animation held a memorial ceremony to honor the 36 victims of the 2019 arson attack on one of its facilities, while the trial of the alleged culprit is still ongoing in a higher court after the defense appealed his death sentence.

The ceremony was held at the studio's site in Kyoto's Fushimi District, where the studio was once located, and the company urged fans not to come 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, another 32 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," one employee said 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 for 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 legacy of the victims. Mentioning the names of the works produced after the incident, Hatta said: "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 names of the victims at 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 said.

The memorial event was held after a memorial to commemorate the incident was completed earlier this month at a park in Uji, Kyoto, where the company's headquarters are located. The monument, about three meters high, features 36 birds that rise 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 taken into custody 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 that 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 have five years passed and justice has still not been exercised against the person responsible?

The court 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, delaying his arrest until May 2020. Subsequently, psychiatric examinations were carried out to determine his mental capacity, which took an additional six months. These tests were necessary to ensure that Aoba could be held criminally liable.

In January 2024, the Kyoto District Court sentenced him to death, but his defense appealed the sentence, which transferred 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.

In addition, the nature of the crime and its impact on Japanese society have caused this case to be followed with great care and detail, to ensure that justice is properly served. In the meantime, 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: Kyodo News