Shinji Aoba, the arsonist found guilty of killing 36 people in an attack on a Kyoto Animation Co. studio in 2019, made clear he is appealing the Jan. 25 death sentence simply to buy time to speak out more about the horrific crime.
He stated, “I seriously accept the verdict.”
It marked the first time Aoba, 45, agreed to meet with a reporter from The Asahi Shimbun.
The interview was held Jan. 26 at Osaka Detention House.
Aoba, who was badly burned in the fire he set, appeared sitting in a wheelchair and looked the reporter in the eye when answering questions.
Excerpts of the 20-minute interview follow:
Question: A day after the verdict (in Kyoto District Court), what are your feelings right now?
Aoba: I hold responsibility for what I did. I seriously accept the verdict.
Q: What were your emotions the moment you heard the death sentence being read in court?
A: Because I am human, I felt a shock when the ultimate penalty was read out. I solemnly accept it.
Q: Do you intend to appeal the verdict and continue the court case?
A: I intend to appeal because I would not be able to speak out if I did not continue (with the court case).
Q: What do you want to speak out about?
A: As the person who caused this incident, I tried to speak as much as possible during the (district court) proceedings. But there are a few more things that I want to leave behind as lessons for others.
Q: Why did you agree to this interview when you never consented in the past?
A: Since I have been given the death sentence, I questioned whether I should go on living while concealing something. I intend to speak out more in the future.
Q: What did you feel through the interaction with the bereaved family members?
A: I must seriously accept that (each victim) had their own separate lives. Each one was acknowledged by those around them and were doing their best to get on with their lives. What hit me most directly was that each (victim) had their own “face.”
Q: During the court session, you also spoke about your own past life. Why?
A: I now feel that it was nothing but an excuse. I also question whether I should have spoken about what I went through in the past, given how old I am now.
Q: What are your thoughts about the relationship between society and the crime you committed?
A: A person such as me might appear in society and cause a similar crime if, in the end, their limit to bear difficulties is exceeded. I think there is nothing that can be done.
Q: There were doctors who treated you so you could appear in court. What do you feel about that?
A: (After about 10 seconds of silence) I want to refrain from answering that right now. I can only say “thank you” to those who supported me. I only have words of gratitude.
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After the ruling, Kyoto Animation Co. released a statement that said, “There is not the slightest change in the chagrin we feel. When we think about the bitter disappointment held by those employees who died, our souls feel nothing but pain.”
The father of a man killed in the arson attack said he accepted as “words from his soul” the comment by Aoba about accepting the death sentence seriously.
The father attended a number of the court sessions. He said he initially felt Aoba’s criticisms directed at Kyoto Animation showed he harbored no feelings of remorse and that his self-centered arguments were too strong.
But when told Aoba wanted to appeal in order to speak out more, the father said, “There are words that only he can express and it would be significant if (by speaking out) he created a deterrence so that the next crime was not committed.”
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