A man accused of a deadly arson attack at an animation studio in Kyoto City said during questioning in court that he is "sorry," and directly apologized to the victims and bereaved families for the first time.

The 45-year-old Aoba Shinji is accused of pouring gasoline in the Kyoto Animation studio and setting it on fire in July 2019. The blaze left 36 employees dead and 32 others injured. He faces multiple charges, including murder and arson.

In Wednesday's trial at the Kyoto District Court, Aoba was questioned for the final time after he listened to statements by victims and bereaved family members since November.

A prosecutor asked Aoba to elaborate on a previous comment in which he said he did not expect so many people would die and he went too far. Aoba said his comment includes feelings of atonement and he is extremely sorry.

It is the first time for Aoba to offer an apology in court.

On the victims and bereaved families seeking a death penalty for Aoba, he replied that in a way he feels he should pay for what he has done through the death penalty.

One man asked Aoba how he felt about the man's wife who died in the blaze and their son who has lost his mother. Aoba said he is sorry and directly apologized.

In response to a question from the defense side, Aoba said he was currently being supported by the staff at the Osaka detention center. He also said if he had been placed in an environment like the detention center sooner, he probably would not have committed the crime.

On Thursday, prosecutors will seek a sentence, and the defendant's lawyer and defendant will give their final opinions. The hearing, which has taken more than three months, will come to an end.