News On Japan

Mourners continue to visit arson site

Aug 19, 2019 (NHK) - Anime fans from around the world continue to visit Kyoto to mourn the victims of the arson attack on a famous animation studio one month ago.

Thirty-five people were killed and 34 others were injured after a man spread gasoline and set fire to the studio of Kyoto Animation.

Police say eight people are still in hospital, and three of them are in critical condition.

The company says it has received donations worth about 18.8 million dollars.

The suspect, Shinji Aoba, suffered severe burns. Police took him into custody near the site. They are still unable to interrogate him due to his medical condition.

Immediately after the attack, Aoba said he targeted the studio because it had stolen his novel. The studio says his entry in a writing competition was eliminated in the first round of screenings. It says there are no similarities between the piece and any of the studio's own releases.

Police are now analyzing data from Aoba's tablet and smartphone in an effort to gain more information on his claim.

Source: ANNnewsCH

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