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KyoAni Arson Suspect's Doctor is Subject of New Documentary

Fuji News Network's Kansai region flagship station Kantele will air a documentary following Dr. Takahiro Ueda, the doctor responsible for caring for Kyoto Animation arson and murder suspect Shinji Aoba. The hour-long program will air on September 1, four days before arson murder trial.

Dr. Ueda has overseen the suspect's medical care for the last four years. Aoba had extensive burns all over his body following the devastating fire that broke out at Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 building on July 18, 2019. Dr. Ueda stated that he was motivated to care for the suspect to respect the victims of the attack and their bereaved family members.

"I was overwhelmed that if I let him die, I would disappoint [the victims and their families]," he said.

The Documentary: Beyond the Fire ~The Kyoto Animation Incident and 29 Years For the Woman Who Was Set on Fire~ program also follows National Association of Crime Victims and Surviving Families' lecturer and member Masumi Okamoto. Okamoto was the victim of arson in February 1994, after a man doused her in gasoline and lit her on fire. Okamoto struggled to access support and pay her medical bills after the crime. She has advocated to establish a compensation system for victims.

Densha Otoko's Atsushi Ito will narrate the program.

The Kyoto District Court will start the main trial for the arson murder case that killed 36 people and wounded 33 others at Kyoto Animation on September 5. The court plans to announce its verdict on January 25, 2024.

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.

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: Comic Natalie