Fans remember victims 6 months after attack on Kyoto anime studio
Fans of Kyoto Animation Co artworks on Saturday visited the site of its studio where an arson attack killed 36 people and injured 33 others exactly six months ago to commemorate the victims.
What remains of the three-story studio, located in a residential area of Kyoto, is covered by gray-colored sheets concealing the scorched exterior and surrounded by a white fence.
Fans from Japan and abroad gathered outside the studio from the morning to remember the victims of the attack.
"I came here to pray before it's demolished," said Masakatsu Hayashi, 60. "What the suspect did is almost terrorism. I feel more than anger when I wonder why he did something like this."
"My thoughts and prayers are with the employees who passed away," said the company employee from Okazaki, Aichi Prefecture.
An engineer from Taipei, who had come to pray at the site, said he had been a fan of the studio's work "Hyouka," among others. The 36-year-old expressed surprise when he was told the same day of the building's demolition.
The studio in Kyoto's Fushimi Ward, the center of the company's anime production, was set ablaze on July 18 after Shinji Aoba, 41, ignited gasoline inside the building where 70 people were working.
News On Japan - Nov 26
A 29-year-old man has been arrested for meeting an underage teen girl, with sexual intent, after sending her messages, promising to make her "the happiest in the world".
News On Japan - Nov 25
A JR West Japan train conductor has been arrested for secretly filming eight women in the toilet of the express train "Haruka" while on duty.
NHK - Nov 24
Japanese police are investigating a stabbing incident that took place at a music arena in Yokohama City, south of Tokyo, on Thursday.
News On Japan - Nov 23
In the sidestreets of Tokyo's entertainment district, Kabukicho, known as "To-Yoko," there has been rampant abuse of over-the-counter cough medicine by young people wanting to experience 'overdose', that is, being completely incapacitated.
News On Japan - Nov 23
A wild boar that ran riot in a school in northern Japan on Thursday, smashing windows and frightening students and parents, is still on the loose in a residential area in Sendai, with local police receiving about 20 reports.
News On Japan - Nov 22
The first-ever competition to determine the world's best at trash collection has been held, with representatives from 21 countries gathering in Tokyo.
News On Japan - Nov 22
Streets littered with heaps of garbage, even spilling onto the opposite sidewalks, have become a pressing issue in Kamata, Tokyo, where local eateries line the streets.
NHK - Nov 22
The BBC has included a former member of Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force who spoke out about sexual violence within her unit in its annual list of 100 women for 2023.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Sales of the "Year-End Jumbo Lottery," offering 1 billion yen in total prize money, kicked off Tuesday.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Video footage has emerged of a truck engulfed in flames on a highway in Hokkaido, Japan's northern island, after its tire fell off.
News On Japan - Nov 21
Approximately 4 million yen in cash was found in trash at a recycling plant in Fukuyama City, Hiroshima Prefecture.
Japanese Comedian Meshida - Nov 20
Now many foreigners come to Japan and enjoy our culture. However, most visitors just see the surface of Japanese culture. To be honest, there are many hidden cultures in Japan. The same as a coin, Japan has different sides.
manilatimes.net - Nov 20
One in four couples who got married in the past year in Japan met through matching apps, the same proportion as those who met at work, a recent survey conducted by Meiji Yasuda Life Insurance Co. has found.
News On Japan - Nov 19
A far-right activist has been arrested and charged with assault after crashing a car into a barrier near the Israeli Embassy on Thursday, with a riot police officer suffering three broken fingers and a near-severed little finger.
News On Japan - Nov 18
Edogawa Ward in Tokyo, which has the highest incidence of bicycle thefts in the city, announced the installation of 80 surveillance cameras in bicycle parking areas at private condominiums and other locations.
The Japan Reporter - Nov 18
Netorare, 'NTR', is a genre where one person in a relationship gets cucked through adultery. This is very common to see in the Japanese porn and some people worry that makes Japan's cheating culture even worse.