Sunday marks two years since a deadly arson attack on a medical clinic in the city of Osaka, western Japan. Bereaved families and former patients are still struggling to come to terms with the tragedy.

The attack occurred on December 17, 2021, at a mental health clinic in Kita Ward. Twenty-six people died, including patients, the clinic's doctor and members of the staff.

The suspect, Tanimoto Morio, then aged 61, later died due to carbon monoxide poisoning during the fire. Police sent papers to prosecutors on suspicion of arson and murder, but the case was dropped.

The building remains closed off. Where the clinic was located on the fourth floor, broken windows are boarded over and the signboard has been left hanging.

Some bereaved families are feeling their sorrow and anxiety grow with time. They are unable to sort out their feelings, as it is not possible to uncover the truth in court or hold the suspect responsible.

The doctor who ran the clinic, Nishizawa Kotaro, was adored by many of his former patients.

One former male patient in his 40s said it is still painful to see the clinic's building and signboard. He said he has managed to move forward over the past two years, but wishes he could go back to the time before the incident.

The head of a support group for former patients, Tsuchida Kumi, said a number of bereaved families and former patients have been unable to face their grief as the incident evoked anger and other emotions they have been unable to embrace.

She said some people experience a burst of sorrow and anxiety several years after such tragedies.

Tsuchida said people should just listen when sufferers want to express their feelings, and encourage them to seek consultations at any time.