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Kyoto Animation Arson Victim Relatives to Discuss Whether to Build Memorial Monument At Former Studio 1 Site
posted on by Kim Morrissy
The families of the victims of the deadly 2019 Kyoto Animation arson attack will enter discussions with the company on whether to build a memorial monument at the former Studio 1 building site.
A Kyoto Animation representative told the NHK that around 30 people attended a meeting regarding the matter on Saturday for an initial exchange of opinions. The relatives did not express strong feelings of opposition towards the construction of a monument.
Kyoto Animation's lawyer told The Yomiuri Shimbun that no firm plans have been decided on yet. The two parties plan to continue gathering opinions, and a conclusion will be reached by the end of the 2022 fiscal year.
A relative who participated in the exchange of opinions said, "I don't know how the debate will turn out, but going forward I would like the names of those who worked in that place to be left behind in some way." Another said, "A large number of people died, so I hope a memorial monument can be built quickly on the former site as a form of remembrance."
On the other hand, one relative said, "I don't want strangers to tread in a place where my child died."
In 2019, a neighborhood association from the Fushimi Ward in Kyoto sent a written request to Kyoto Animation not to build a monument or other such landmark that would attract an unspecified large number of people. The association expressed concern that it would affect the tranquility of the neighborhood.
At the time, a Kyoto Animation representative said, "We'll consider all the factors and make a decision after consulting with the bereaved families, local residents, and other related parties."
Demolition work on Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 building concluded in April 2020.
On July 18, 2019, a devastating fire broke out at Kyoto Animation's Studio 1 building. A total of 70 people were inside the building at the time. The fire killed 36 people and injured 33 others. In addition to the victims inside the building, a man in his 40s on his way to work in the area suffered minor injuries from smoke inhalation.
Kyoto Prefectural Police apprehended the then 41-year-old suspect who allegedly used gasoline to start the fire, and they are investigating the case as arson. 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. Last December, Japanese prosecutors formally indicted the man suspected of causing the fire.
Sources: NHK, Yomiuri Shimbun via Otakomu, Yaraon
