Hong Kong-based trafficking suspect may have fathered children in India

The mystery over the Hong Kong-based Japanese businessmen who has allegedly fathered at least 15 children with Thai surrogate mothers has deepened after it emerged that he may also be the father of children in India.

Mitsutoki Shigeta, who is wanted by the authorities in Thailand, told the joint founder of Bangkok-based New Life Global Network that he had travelled to India to father two children with local surrogate mothers.

Mariam Kukunashvili told Japan’s Jiji Press news agency that 24-year-old Shigeta said he also claimed to have spent US$100,000 attempting to father surrogate babies in Ukraine in 2011.

The latest allegations will prompt new speculation that Shigeta, who is believed to be the son of Yasumitsu Shigeta, the multibillionaire owner of one of Japan’s biggest telecommunications companies, may have fathered more children in other countries around the world where the laws on surrogacy are not strict.

Japanese authorities have declined to comment on the case on the grounds that no charges have yet been filed. Shigeta is understood to have returned to Japan from his apartment in the SoHo district of Central and is believed to be cooperating with police here.