Police secure arrest warrant for suspect of Japan animation studio arson attack

Japan animation studio arson attack shocked Japan and drew an outpouring of grief from anime fans worldwide.

Firefighters work as smoke billows from a three-story building of Kyoto Animation in a fire in Kyoto, western Japan. ( File Photo | AP )

TOKYO: Japanese police have obtained an arrest warrant for a suspect as soon as he regains consciousness from injuries in a deadly arson at a Kyoto anime studio.

ALSO READ: 34 dead in suspected arson attack on Japan's Kyoto animation studio

Kyoto police said Sunday they are ready to arrest 41-year-old Shinji Aoba on arson and murder allegations.

Aoba is accused of storming Kyoto Animation's No.

1 studio on Thursday, setting it on fire and killing 34 people.

One of the survivors, an animator, told Japanese media he jumped from a window of the three-story building gasping for air amid scorching heat after seeing an "a black mushroom cloud" rising from downstairs.

The attack shocked Japan and drew an outpouring of grief from anime fans worldwide.