Japan: Animation studio arson suspect admits crime

The suspect of deadly July arson attack on an animation studio in Japan's Kyoto admitted his crime and said that he chose the building because of the presence of a large number of people.

"I targeted First Studio where the largest number of people [at the company] work. I thought I would be able to injure many people," the suspect said, as quoted by the investigators and cited by the Kyodo News outlet.

Shinji Aoba was questioned by police on Saturday for the first time. He is accused of the attack in which 36 people were killed, the Japan Times reported.

Aoba was questioned at a hospital and it was done on a voluntary basis. Police have obtained an arrest warrant for Aoba on the suspicion of murder and arson.

74 people were in the building at the time of the fire on July 19. Police found 20 bodies lying on the staircase leading to the roof exit, while 11 others were on the second floor. Two bodies were also found on the ground floor of the building, which has been greatly damaged.

The employees did not have time to escape as the fire spread quickly throughout the building. Several jumped out of the windows on the second and third floor, sustaining bone fractures in the process.

The 41-year old Aoba was also left injured in the attack and is undergoing treatment. He recently has started rehabilitation after his condition improved to the point where he can sit down. The doctors have deemed his condition no longer life-threatening.