The author of the arson which cost the lives of 36 employees of the Kyoto Animation studio (“Violet Evergarden”) has been sentenced to death by Japanese justice.
Five years after the events, this is a news story that continues to send chills down your spine. On July 18, 2019, a man in his forties entered the premises of the Kyoto Animation studio (Violet Evergarden) in the city of Kyoto in Japan.
Using cans of gasoline, lighters and fire starters, the latter started an arson causing the worst mass killing on Japanese soil since the Second World War.
The arsonist’s attack cost the lives of 36 employees of the animation studio, and left several dozen injured. Himself seriously burned, the assailant was arrested by the Japanese police near the crime scene and immediately admitted the facts. The latter then tried to justify his action by accusing the company of theft of ideas and plagiarism.
“I went too far”
The maniac’s injuries forced the Japanese authorities to wait until May 27, 2020 – almost a year after the crime – to make his official arrest. The careful investigation by the police did not make it possible to establish the exact reasons for this attack, but were nevertheless able to prove its premeditated nature.
Tried for five counts, including murder and arson, the arsonist claimed to regret his actions, and considered “having gone too far”. These regrets did not move the families of the victims nor the Japanese justice system, since the latter was sentenced to death by the Kyoto court.
Although the death penalty is still applied in Japan, this recourse remains rare since the last execution dates back to 2022. Despite criticisms made abroad, Japanese opinion remains to this day mainly in favor of maintaining the death penalty. .