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KYOTO – Most of the victims of Thursday’s inferno at Kyoto Animation Co. tried to use a stairwell to get to the roof but were unable to open the door at the top and suffocated, police and firefighters said Friday.

Most at the studio are believed to have died of carbon monoxide poisoning. The building had fire alarms and extinguishers but no sprinklers because they were not required for this type of building, local fire officials said.

Nineteen of the 33 victims were found on the stairs between the third floor and the roof.

The 41-year-old man taken into custody after admitting to starting the fire was hospitalized for burns to his face, chest and elsewhere. He was identified as Shinji Aoba and had a driver’s license that said he lived in Saitama.

Aoba has a criminal record and has repeatedly troubled his neighbors, investigative sources and acquaintances said. He also suggested revenge was his motive, saying he started the blaze because the studio “stole a novel” and plagiarized his ideas, the sources said.

The suspect’s association with the company has not yet been independently verified and police plan to question him after his condition improves.

Aoba was arrested for robbing a convenience store in Bando, Ibaraki Prefecture, of ¥20,000 ($186) in June 2012 and received 3½ years in prison, the sources said. He was living nearby Joso at the time.

He was released in January 2016 and lived in a rehabilitation facility in the city of Saitama for several months before moving into an apartment for single people there three years ago, they said.

Nearby residents said Aoba often caused trouble.

The death toll from the fire, which was finally extinguished at 6:20 a.m. Friday, makes the blaze one of the worst cases of arson in recent decades. More than 30 people were injured.

As investigators continued to comb the site, tributes to the studio poured in via social media on Friday, with world leaders and even Apple’s CEO offering condolences to the victims’ families

“Canadians send our deepest condolences to the families of those killed in the arson attack in Kyoto that has taken so many innocent lives,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said on Twitter.

“To the people of Japan — we’re mourning these tragic losses with you, and wishing a quick recovery to everyone who was injured.”

“Kyoto Animation is home to some of the world’s most talented animators and dreamers — the devastating attack today is a tragedy felt far beyond Japan,” Apple chief Tim Cook tweeted.

“KyoAni artists spread joy all over the world and across generations with their masterpieces,” Cook said, using an abbreviation for Kyoto Animation. Cook also posted condolences in Japanese, as did Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen.

Kyoto Animation produces such popular series as “Sound! Euphonium,” and its “Free! Road to the World — The Dream” movie is due for release this month.

About 70 people were inside the three-story building when the fire was ignited on Thursday morning. In addition to the 19 victims found in the stairwell leading to the roof, 11 were found on the second floor, two on the first floor and one on the stairs between the second and third floors, the police said.

In addition, an open, three-story spiral staircase in the center of the building created an especially deadly environment for fire.

“The structure of the building was that it had one spiral staircase penetrating through three floors acting as a chimney, the most effective way of starting a fire,” said Momoko Higuchi, a Tokyo-based architect.”Because the fire was with petrol, the effect was like a bomb. Most died of smoke.”

The suspect entered the building while screaming “Die!” and immediately splashed gasoline from a bucket before starting the fire, according to the police.

The authorities believe he was the man who was witnessed buying gasoline from a gas station near the site earlier Thursday morning and that he transported two 20-liter cans to the studio on a cart.

Police conducted an on-site investigation Friday at the burned building in order to establish their case for possible charges of arson, murder and attempted murder.

Many people came to offer prayers and flowers near the studio, where charred shelves and paper could be seen scattered inside through broken windows.

“I still can’t sort out my feelings and I can’t get over it,” said a 27-year-old woman who came from Nagoya after learning of the incident.

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A 71-year-old man working near the site said he walked past several Kyoto Animation employees Thursday morning. “I feel really sorry for them,” he said, crying.

Kyoto Animation, also known as KyoAni, has produced popular TV animation series including “K-On!” and “Suzumiya Haruhi no Yuutsu” (“The Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya”), which depict the daily lives of high school girls.

Animated film director Makoto Shinkai, known for his 2016 smash-hit “Kimi no Na wa.” (“Your Name.”), vowed Friday to continue making anime without hesitation.

“I would like to watch new works of KyoAni, and we, as workers in the same industry, hope to continue making (anime) without hesitation. I believe we ought to,” Shinkai said in Tokyo at the premiere of his new animated feature “Tenki no Ko” (“Weathering With You”).

“(Animators) desire to draw as many good pictures as they can and entertain audiences as much as possible. We are all companions in the same boat,” he said in a show of solidarity with the tragedy-hit studio.

Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-wen, now on a tour of Caribbean countries, tweeted in Japanese that to many Taiwanese the studio is closely linked to youthful memories. She also expressed her sympathies for the victims and wished for a speedy recovery for those who were injured.

Real Madrid boss Zinedine Zidane remained coy on interest in Manchester United’s Paul Pogba, but hinted that the club do have a ‘plan’.

Pogba has made clear his desire to leave Old Trafford, with Real Madrid looking most likely to offer the France star an escape from Old Trafford.

But United have insisted that Pogba is for sale, though reports suggest they may be tempted to do business should they receive an offer close to £180million.

Juventus cannot afford their former player so they have resorted to offering United three players in exchange, while Real are said to be launching ‘Operation 200’ to raise the money to sign Pogba.

Zidane believes Real may still make significant changes before the European transfer deadline at the end of next month.

“We have to respect things, with the club we know what we want and what can happen until the 31st we can make changes, departures and also that they can come,” the Real boss is quoted as saying by the Express.

“I will not go into that. You have to respect some things. We have a plan with the club and we’ll see what happens.

“But today we are focused on tomorrow’s game.

“What happens next will already be seen. You know many things, but we will see. Lots of things can happen.”

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Arsenal’s new technical director Edu wants everyone at the club to return to the winning mentality which made Arsene Wenger’s side invincible.

The Gunners are preparing for a second campaign under new head coach Unai Emery, who guided them to the Europa League final but could not deliver Champions League football.

Former Arsenal midfielder Edu has been appointed to the newly-created role, which the club said will see the Brazilian “coordinate the work of our first-team coaching group, the academy and player scouting and recruitment in order to oversee the constant building up and efficient strengthening of our squad”.

The 41-year-old was part of Arsenal’s unbeaten ‘Invincibles’ squad of 2004 which won the Premier League under Wenger, and later went on to play for Emery at Valencia.

Edu left a similar role with the Brazil national side following their Copa America success and has now linked up with the Gunners again on the club’s pre-season tour in the United States.

While he accepts it will not be an overnight change in mentality, it is a process Edu believes is vital if Arsenal are to compete for top honours once again, both at home and in Europe.

“To work with a strong mentality, you don’t do it like that (instantly). You build a good mentality,” Edu said in an interview with Arsenal Media.

“When you talk about mentality, it’s not only the players. The club has to have the same mentality of the players.

“We have to have the same mentality, and the mentality of Arsenal, we always had to have winning in front of us. That’s football. That’s the real world. When you’re talking about good jobs, doing other things, without results I’m not sure (it works). It’s unfair maybe, but the reality is like that.

“We have to fight very hard for results and we have to understand the real world, where you live and where you are right now. So we are at Arsenal, we are a big club and we have to understand the situation.

“Winning… fight for winning, and how do you do that? We have to prepare ourselves. How? By working hard, by giving everything, giving us (a chance) to be better and better, and working really hard to be where the club wants to be.”

Edu recalled how Wenger’s squad would thrive off the continued quest for more success, which spread throughout the north London club.

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“I remember we were winning a lot of things, our team was really strong and there were big names around, but the mentality of the group, the guys around, the staff, was so great,” he said.

“We were working hard but at the same time, we were enjoying it. That was important because at the time winning was important, but you have to enjoy it as well and we did that with our group.”

Earlier this week, a group of Arsenal supporters’ organisations, fanzines and blogs published a statement hitting out at Stan Kroenke’s “passive ownership” of the club.

Edu said the Arsenal board “have to understand the fans” but believes that works both ways.

“They have to understand us as well. Because we have a philosophy. The club is changing a lot, so I saw that before I signed up for technical director, I saw the many changes now Arsene has left,” the Brazilian added.

“The structure of the club changes a lot. So that’s a process, and sometimes we need time. I understand that time is going against us but we have to be aware of that. But in the end, we’re going to give to [the fans] some good things I am sure.”

Liverpool’s pre-season preparations have been dealt a blow after being beaten 3-2 by Borussia Dortmund in their first match of a tour of the US.

In stifling conditions at the Notre Dame stadium in Indiana, the European champions faced the Bundesliga runners-up in what Jurgen Klopp had called “the first proper test” of his side’s pre-season.

Missing veterans Roberto Firmino, Alisson, Mohamed Salah and Sadio Mane due to the Copa America and African Cup of Nations, Liverpool were hurt by a sloppy defence and Dortmund wasted no time in finding the net courtesy of a close-range strike from Paco Alcacer after just three minutes.

Harry Wilson found the net in the 35th minute to draw level but Dortmund scored two quick goals after the break.

Delaney made it 2-1 eight minutes into the second half with an easy tap-in and Bruun Larsen extended the lead after finding the bottom corner in the 58th minute.

Rhian Brewster converted a penalty in the 75th minute after Ben Woodburn was brought down in the box but the Reds could not find the equaliser in the closing stages in front of the 40,361-strong crowd.

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Klopp had featured many of the younger players in his starting line-up but handed Trent Alexander-Arnold, Jordan Henderson, Andy Robertson, Virgil van Dijk and Georginio Wijnaldum their first summer match action after making 10 changes on the hour mark.

Liverpool will continue their pre-season tour with at Boston’s Fenway Park against Sevilla on Sunday.

A top Japanese comedian, suspended by his talent agency for conducting an “underground business” operation, has decided to retire from the entertainment industry, sources close to the matter said Friday.

Yoshimoto Kogyo Co. said it terminated its management contract with 49-year-old Hiroyuki Miyasako the same day after suspending him and 12 other comedians last month for attending a party hosted by a purported crime group in 2014 without consulting with the company. They received between ¥1 million and several tens of thousands of yen in remuneration, of which the largest sum was paid out to Miyasako.

The contract termination comes as an article published the same day in celebrity gossip magazine Friday showed a photograph of Miyasako at a restaurant together with individuals who were later charged with theft for stealing around ¥750 million worth of gold bullion in the city of Fukuoka in 2016.

The entertainment powerhouse suspended the 13 comedians in late June after Friday carried an article saying they performed without the agency’s consent at a party organized by a group involved in a large-scale scam in December 2014.

“I deeply regret accepting the money, even if it was indirectly,” Miyasako said in late June when the scandal came to light. He said he was not connected with the group.

He joined New Star Creation in 1988, a training school for comedians managed by Yoshimoto Kogyo, and formed the duo Ameagari Kesshitai with Toru Hotohara. Miyasako has appeared frequently on TV shows and was also active as an actor.

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SEOUL – A 78-year-old South Korean man died hours after setting himself ablaze near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul on Friday, police said, at a time of worsening tensions between Seoul and Tokyo.

The man, surnamed Kim, ignited a fire inside his car parked in front of the building where the embassy is located. The man died later Friday while being treated at a Seoul hospital, police said.

Police said Kim had phoned an acquaintance earlier to say he planned to self-immolate to express his antipathy toward Japan.

Kim’s family told investigators that his father-in-law had been conscripted as a forced laborer when the Korean Peninsula was under Japan’s colonial rule from 1910-45, according to a police statement.

No suicide note was found. Police earlier said flammable materials were found in the car that Kim borrowed from an acquaintance Thursday.

Police said they’ll analyze possible evidence from Kim’s mobile phone and investigate people concerned to try to determine the exact motive for his action.

The man’s self-immolation comes with relations between Seoul and Tokyo at their worst in decades.

Japan recently tightened export controls for some high-tech materials.

If his self-immolation is found to be directly related to the Japanese curbs, it would the first such action in South Korea since anti-Japanese sentiments flared up over the trade restriction. Some activists and residents in South Korea are staging anti-Japan demonstrations and campaigns to boycott Japanese products, but those have been limited so far.

South Korea and Japan are both key U.S. allies. But they often have been embroiled in disputes stemming from historical disputes.

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South Korean officials say the Japanese trade controls are retaliation for local court rulings ordering Japanese firms to pay compensation to former Korean forced laborers. Japan denies that, saying the controls are required for national security.

South Koreans have been staging largely peaceful anti-Japan rallies near the Japanese Embassy in Seoul for decades. Occasionally, they have turned violent, with demonstrators cutting their own fingers or scuffling with police officers.

Foreign Minister Taro Kono summoned the top South Korean envoy in Tokyo on Friday to lodge a protest against Seoul’s rejection of a proposal to set up a joint arbitration panel to settle the issue of wartime labor, a simmering problem that is weighing heavily on bilateral ties.

In his meeting with Ambassador Nam Gwan-pyo at the Foreign Ministry, Kono said Seoul’s failure to address the issue violates international law.

The formal protest is likely to escalate the diplomatic tensions between the two countries, whose relations were already strained over new export regulations introduced by Japan on key materials that are used in chip and smartphone production.

During the meeting, Kono became angry when the top South Korean envoy mentioned Seoul’s earlier proposal to settle the compensation issue by raising funds from both Japanese and South Korean firms.

Kono interrupted Nam, saying in a loud voice, “We have already explained (to South Korea) that we cannot accept it at all because it would not correct the violations of international law. It’s extremely rude for you to propose it again as if you knew nothing about it.”

Japan has argued that an economic pact attached to the 1965 basic bilateral relationship treaty has already settled all the compensation issues and obligations over Japan’s 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.

Invoking Article 3 of the pact, Japan had requested that South Korea jointly set up an arbitration panel with it within 30 days that would include a third country, a proposal that Seoul ignored. Thursday was the deadline to agree to the arbitration process.

Article 3 explicitly obliges the two governments to agree to form an arbitration panel if the other government makes such a request.

Meanwhile, Seoul criticized the new export rules, calling them “retaliation” by Japan over the wartime labor issue. During Friday’s meeting, Nam said the export regulations are a “unilateral action by Japan,” which “has placed people and firms in both countries in a difficult situation.”

In response, Kono reiterated the wartime labor issue “is not linked” with the new export rules. However, Japanese trade officials have previously cited Seoul’s inaction over the wartime labor issue as one of the key reasons Japan has lost “trust” in the South Korean government and thereby decided to introduce the export regulations.

Under the 1965 pact, Tokyo provided a lump-sum payment to Seoul, some of which was to be used to compensate South Korean individuals seeking compensation.

However, South Korea’s Supreme Court ruled last year that Japan’s colonial rule was illegal and the 1965 pact did not deny individuals the right to seek compensation. Based on the ruling, South Korean courts, beginning last year, ordered Japanese firms, including Mitsubishi Heavy Industries Ltd. and Nippon Steel Corp., to pay damages to wartime laborers, which has led to the seizure of assets owned by the companies.

Citing the 1965 pact, Tokyo has demanded the South Korean government take measures to avoid damage being done to Japanese firms, but Seoul has not taken any action so far.

Japan is now considering bringing the case to the International Court of Justice in The Hague, but without Seoul’s consent the ICJ would not be able to adjudicate the request. A senior Japanese official said that Tokyo is likely to keep monitoring the situation for a while before deciding whether to bring the case to the ICJ.

In the meantime, the South Korean trade ministry on Friday repeated its demand to hold a meeting by next Wednesday.

When trade officials from the two countries met in Tokyo last week, Seoul urged Tokyo to agree to another meeting, according to the South Korean side. Japan, however, said it was unwilling to acquiesce to the request but remained open to answering questions via alternative methods, including email.

Jun Iwamatsu, director of the trade control policy division at the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, expressed displeasure Friday evening with South Korea’s argument and rejected the possibility of organizing such a meeting.

Employing a much stronger tone than in his previous news conference, Iwamatsu said South Korea unilaterally disclosed what was discussed at the July 12 meeting on export controls, which he said involved other highly sensitive issues, such as weapons of mass destruction.

“Unless the situation improves wherein (South Korea) discloses what was discussed between the two countries without prior consent from both countries, as demonstrated by today’s South Korean remarks to the press, we believe it is difficult to convene a place for policy dialogue based on trust,” Iwamatsu said.

Staff writer Satoshi Sugiyama contributed to this report.

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YOKOHAMA – A 26-year-old man who was arrested on suspicion of abandoning a corpse after his wife’s legless body was found last month at a beach in Kanagawa Prefecture, was served with a fresh warrant Thursday for allegedly killing her, police said.

Seiya Taira is accused of strangling his wife Fubuki, 26, to death in their apartment in Kawasaki around June 25, the police said. He has admitted to the allegation.

According to the police, Taira had been paying back debts worth several million yen with his wife’s credit card and money saved for their honeymoon and wedding reception without her permission. Fubuki became aware of the payments in mid-June and their relationship worsened.

“She looked at me as if I were a total stranger and I couldn’t stand that,” the suspect was quoted by the police as saying.

He was initially arrested on June 28 after he turned himself in the previous night at a police station in Kawasaki. Taira told investigators at that time he “couldn’t bear the feeling of guilt,” according to the police.

The husband told the police he severed his wife’s body with a knife and saw at the apartment and put the body in a suitcase. He then took a taxi to the beach and swam out to sea before abandoning the body.

Fubuki’s body was found on the morning of June 27 face down on the beach about 1.5 kilometers south of JR Hiratsuka Station. One of the legs was found a day later in the sea nearby.

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Everton are reportedly planning a move for Crystal Palace winger Wilfried Zaha.

The Ivory Coast star is wanted by Arsenal but Unai Emery is shopping in the transfer window with a severely restricted budget.

The Gunners are said to have made an offer for Zaha worth significantly less than Palace’s valuation. The Eagles are understood to be looking for a fee in the region of £80million for the 26-year-old academy graduate.

According to the Daily Mail, Everton have been alerted by Arsenal’s hesitation and the Toffees are preparing a bid for Zaha.

The Toffees, bankrolled by owner Farhad Moshiri, are keen to make a statement signing this summer a year after they paid £40million for Richarlison.

Zaha is said to be keen to leave his boyhood club this summer, with a Champions League club his ideal destination. But only Arsenal and Everton have registered a serious interest.

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Everton have so far only spent money on Andre Gomes following the former Barcelona midfielder’s loan spell at Goodison Park last term. Jonas Lossl also arrived on a free following the expiry of the goalkeeper’s contract at Huddersfield.

Steve Bruce has confirmed even good friend Alan Shearer could not persuade him not to take the head coach’s job at Newcastle.

The Magpies record goalscorer revealed in a newspaper column this week that he had advised the 58-year-old over dinner earlier this summer not to accept Mike Ashley’s offer of employment if it came his way in the wake of Rafael Benitez’s departure as manager.

However, speaking at a press conference in Shanghai on Thursday, Bruce insisted he simply could not take Shearer’s advice.

He said: “Well, make no mistake, Alan is a big, big friend of mine and he’s welcome to his opinions, but I would like to think I am my own man.

“As I’ve said many times, I understand the challenge that lies ahead. I’m not everybody’s cup of tea, I am not Rafa Benitez, so whoever was going to sit in this seat was going to find it difficult.

“However, I’m confident enough that with my experience and the people I have brought with me, that we’ll continue to take the club forward, and that’s why I’m sitting in the position I’m in right now.”

Bruce is well aware that his appointment has not gone down well with a section of the Toon Army despite heading off for China as his arrival was announced, but he is pleased for a chance to prove himself.

He said: “I don’t read it because if you want to take it personally and read and scrutinise everything that’s thrown your way, then you would end up in a mad house.

“Just judge me over the period of time, and I’m quietly confident after maybe 400 games in the Premier League that I’ll do okay.”

Bruce accepted his dream job after resigning from his post at Sheffield Wednesday, sparking a wrangle over compensation which remains unresolved with the Owls taking legal advice.

He said: “I’d like to put it out there that a manager’s contract is a manager’s contract. When it’s terminated, compensation should be due, and that applies to when a manager wants to leave or hands in his resignation.

“I am disappointed about that because I thought that was in hand. However, it’s football and I wish them the best of luck in the future.

“As I’ve said many, many times, it was the challenge and the chance to go and manage Newcastle United, the great club that it is, that was the overriding factor for me to be as selfish as I was.”

Newcastle face West Ham in the Premier League Asia Trophy on Saturday, but behind the scenes, work is ongoing to rebuild the squad with strikers the main priority.

Bruce’s job title of head coach suggested he may not have the influence Benitez wanted over signings, but the former Manchester United defender has insisted that is not the case.

He said: “The big one, of course, is what you’re insinuating there, am I in charge of transfers or am I just going to sit there and be a puppet? That won’t happen.”