The 41-year-old perpetrator, who was also injured and was taken into police custody, walked into the 1st Studio building of Kyoto Animation in Fujimi ward at about 10.30 am. He poured what is suspected to be petrol in multiple areas of the building before igniting it.
There were more than 70 people in Kyoto Animation's main studio. About 30 fire engines and ambulances went to the three-storey building after the explosion. Police also found knives at the scene. There was no immediate information on a possible motive.
Kyoto Animation has been in operation since 1981, and is known as a producer of high quality animation.
