News
Kyoto Animation Arsonist Case Begins Main Trial on September 5 With Verdict Scheduled for January 25
posted on by Crystalyn Hodgkins
The trial will have 32 total hearings. In September and October, hearings will be held two to three times a week, for a total of 10 hearings for each of those months. In November and December, hearings will be held five to six times each month.
The Kyoto District Court started pre-trial proceedings on May 8. The pre-trial was to decide the schedule for the main trial, and is also discussing prior issues and evidence. The presiding judge in the pre-trial is Keisuke Masuda.
On July 18, 2019, a devastating fire broke out at Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 building. A total of 70 people were inside the building at the time. In addition to the victims inside the building, a man in his 40s on his way to work in the area suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation.
Kyoto Prefectural Police apprehended the then 41-year-old suspect (now 44), who allegedly used gasoline to start the fire. The man allegedly bought 40 liters of gasoline in two canisters and used a cart to transport the gasoline to Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 building. Japanese prosecutors formally indicted the suspect in December 2020.
Demolition work on Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 building concluded in April 2020. The studio started recruiting again in July 2020.
The studio streamed a memorial video in July 2022 to mark the third anniversary of the arson attack. The studio also streamed memorial videos on the previous two anniversaries.
Source: Asahi Shimbun (光墨祥吾)
