Probe into Japanese 'dad' eyes baby trafficking intent

[Lite Beer]

SURROGACY
Probe into Japanese 'dad' eyes baby trafficking intent
THE NATION 
 

Shigeta Mitsutoki

 

BANGKOK: -- POLICE ARE looking into whether the 13 babies purportedly linked to surrogacy services were meant to be trafficked, as evidence suggests a Japanese man fathered at least nine infants via surrogate mothers.

Shigeta Mitsutoki, 24, left Thailand early on Thursday after authorities started investigating. The nine babies he is linked to are now under the care of a state-run centre.

In late March and early July, he arrived in Thailand alone but left with an infant.

The clinic that allegedly provided him the surrogacy services, All IVF, has been closed for operating without a proper licence.

"It's registered as a medical facility but not as one offering fertility treatments," Health Service Support Department director-general Boonrueang Trairueangworarat said yesterday.

He said All IVF was closed because without a proper licence its services could cause serious harm or even deaths to others.

He said doctors involved would face a probe by the Medical Council and could lose their licences.

The owner of the clinic faces a jail term and a fine for his failure to ensure that services provided were in line with proper standards.

Although Thailand does not yet have specific laws to control surrogacy, the Medical Council bans paid surrogacy and requires surrogate mothers be either an in-law or a relative of couples seeking help.

Dr Pisit Tantiwattanakul, whose name was used to open All IVF, could not be reached for comment.

Pol Colonel Naphanwut Liamsa-nguan, who heads the Children and Women Protection Subdivision, said police were gathering evidence to determine whether the nine babies linked to Mitsutoki were born through All IVF and who else was involved.

"We have received some useful evidence even though the clinic has clearly relocated its patients' history files," he said during a search of the Bangkok business.

Police discovered the nine babies reportedly fathered by Mitsutoki at a Bangkok condo on Tuesday after receiving a tip from locals.

Thais have become acutely aware of the darker side of surrogacy in the wake of the huge media coverage over Gammy, a baby boy with Down's syndrome allegedly abandoned by an Australian couple. They reportedly hired a Thai woman to be a surrogate mother but left Thailand only with Gammy's healthy twin sister.

The surrogate mother, Pattaramon Chanbua, yesterday admitted that she had recruited surrogates twice.

"But I don't do that any more," she said.

Pattaramon was recruited by a woman called "Joy", who insisted that she was not a surrogacy agent but was hired as a coordinator for a fertility clinic.

"My employer is an American," Joy said yesterday. She also confirmed Pattaramon's declared love for Gammy.

Joy said Pattaramon refused to undergo an abortion when tests showed Gammy had Down's syndrome. "After childbirth, she has decided to raise Gammy on her own," Joy said.

An informed source said Ohno Yuki, 17, was Mitsutoki's assistant and she left Thailand for Cambodia on the day police raided the condo where the babies were found.

Available records show Mitsutoki also had a Cambodian passport and he used it for travelling in and out of Thailand 14 times. He used two Japanese passports to travel in and out of Thailand 52 times.

An informed source said it was not unusual for Japanese citizens to hold Cambodian passports, which are issued to Japanese investors.

Naphanwut said it appeared Mitsutoki's sole interest in coming to Thailand related to babies.

A Japanese official said the name Shigeta Mitsutoki was common.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Probe-into-Japanese-dad-eyes-baby-trafficking-inte-30240612.html

 

[thenation]2014-08-09[/thenation]

[terryp]

i dont like whats behind this ...BUT the police etc need to realise that this is not surrogacy, HE had sex with the women which produced a child ..HIS in each case. it was not egg or sperm harvested it was this guy having sex with a girl ...just as happens all over the world .....the Japanese guy actually found a loop hole, its the selling ? (no one knows this for sure at the moment)

[chooka]

I find it strange that a 24 yr old guy would like to be tied down as a full time dad with 9+ kids.

[ChrisY1]

I don't understand how this Japanese guy can arrive in Thailand with no kid and then leave with one.....

I don't understand either how the Aussie couple got out of Thailand, and more importantly, got back into Australia with a kid....Australia has very strong border protection..

[lazygourmet]

I find it strange that a 24 yr old guy would like to be tied down as a full time dad with 9+ kids.

 

And a 17 years old assistant...
 

[Bluespunk]

"Available records show Mitsutoki also had a Cambodian passport and he used it for travelling in and out of Thailand 14 times. He used two Japanese passports to travel in and out of Thailand 52 times."

"in and out " would appear to be his modus operandi. Edited August 9, 2014 by Bluespunk

[orosee]

Me, 24 and with a rich dad? I'd live like Monaco royalty and maybe... Just maybe... Got for a couple of kids 20 years later.

That guy is a Yakuza facility manager, not a young man yearning to be loved by his kin.

[harrry]

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/dr-ageless-switches-to-surrogacy-service-20130223-2eyog.html

Seems to have some interesting information about this system.

[trogers]

"Available records show Mitsutoki also had a Cambodian passport and he used it for travelling in and out of Thailand 14 times. He used two Japanese passports to travel in and out of Thailand 52 times."

"in and out " would appear to be his modus operandi.

Is it normal for a country to issue 2 passports to each citizen?

[Bluespunk]

"Available records show Mitsutoki also had a Cambodian passport and he used it for travelling in and out of Thailand 14 times. He used two Japanese passports to travel in and out of Thailand 52 times."

"in and out " would appear to be his modus operandi.

Is it normal for a country to issue 2 passports to each citizen?

Seriously doubt it. Edited August 9, 2014 by Bluespunk

[klauskunkel]

 

A Japanese official said the name Shigeta Mitsutoki was common.

That is true. However, 'Shigeta Misutoki' is linked to a Japanese passport number in the Thai Immigration DB, which could conceivably be used by Japanese authorities to find more relevant info on the guy, whaddoyasay Mr. Japanese Official Common Name?

[retell]

"Available records show Mitsutoki also had a Cambodian passport and he used it for travelling in and out of Thailand 14 times. He used two Japanese passports to travel in and out of Thailand 52 times."

"in and out " would appear to be his modus operandi.

Is it normal for a country to issue 2 passports to each citizen?

If i recall correct england does also

[Yann55]

This whole story is beyond creepy, something you'd expect to read in a James Patterson thriller, but those babies are for real...

I don't want to start commenting on how weird Japanese culture and people can be in their relation to life and death, but it's something I can't help thinking about when I read this.

[timmyp]

That guy is a Yakuza facility manager, not a young man yearning to be loved by his kin.

 

I would place a big bet on Yakuza as well, and that he is working for higher ranking folks.

[mrblue]

maybe two passports means "he used one until full, then he used a new one" for a total of two passports...

[Baerboxer]

 

 

"Available records show Mitsutoki also had a Cambodian passport and he used it for travelling in and out of Thailand 14 times. He used two Japanese passports to travel in and out of Thailand 52 times."

"in and out " would appear to be his modus operandi.

Is it normal for a country to issue 2 passports to each citizen?

If i recall correct england does also

 

 

England doesn't issue passports. But you can have 2 UK passports.

[trogers]

 

 

"Available records show Mitsutoki also had a Cambodian passport and he used it for travelling in and out of Thailand 14 times. He used two Japanese passports to travel in and out of Thailand 52 times."

"in and out " would appear to be his modus operandi.

Is it normal for a country to issue 2 passports to each citizen?

If i recall correct england does also
 

 
England doesn't issue passports. But you can have 2 UK passports.

Why stop at two?

[HerbalEd]

Many of the posts here are barstool experts espousing their "theories" as if they were facts they know to be true. Pathetic, really. 

[mok199]

is nothing sacred anymore,some people will pimp out anything when money is involved,im sure that A HOLE goes back to japan and has a big bowl of shark fin soup with some bear gaul bladder sushi..

[phantomfiddler]

One would naturally suppose that this man was fathering children in Thailand and then selling them, probably to childless couples, in Japan. Amazing that this would be a business profitable to be worth all the hassles involved, and also amazing that he was allowed to arrive alone and leave with a small child. Inventiveness knows no bounds, but if it turns out that these children are well treated in good homes by "parents" who truly appreciate them, the I feel that no great crime has been committed. But if not ....... ?

[mrdome]

This is the most bizarre story. Obviously, someone has invested major cash into this operation but what is the purpose of all these conceived babies?

 

To answer the theory put forth in the post above me, I doubt Japan would allow selling of babies (of course, I do realize that there are 'under the table payments' in every country). Majorly creepy. ... Although there are worse jobs than 'conceiver of babies', I'd have to say. Even if not always successful, so much fun trying.

[bonobo]

This is a post about one particular Japanese man, not about Asian men in general.  Posts have been removed.  Please refrain from painting a broad brush.

[lvr181]

 

"Available records show Mitsutoki also had a Cambodian passport and he used it for travelling in and out of Thailand 14 times. He used two Japanese passports to travel in and out of Thailand 52 times."

"in and out " would appear to be his modus operandi.

Is it normal for a country to issue 2 passports to each citizen?

 

 

I think the Japanese authorities need to "explain" to NCPO why their citizen has two passports (corruption?). And as a "peace offering" should return the offender to Thailand for further investigation, then NCPO can confiscate ALL his passports pending further investigations. And circulate his details to all immigration offices should he try and leave the country again. If he is found to be not guilty of any alleged offence let him go (keeping one Japanese passport - with the agreement of Japanese Government.

[orosee]

I'm not sure what the problem is here. I myself used 5 different German passports to travel in and out of Thailand well over 50 times.

The report does not state whether:

- each of his 2 passports had different details (name etc.)
- he held both valid passports at the same time

Unless charges are brought forward, this guy can pretty much walk around freely and no government needs to "explain" (this is how & when you use quotes properly) anything.

As shady as this is, nobody should be arrested because "someone on Thaivisa demanded it" :-)

[CantSpell]

Comes in Thailand alone, leaves with a child...

 

Would be interesting to see what documents he produced for the child at immigration.....

Japanese embassy??

[orosee]

Comes in Thailand alone, leaves with a child...

 

Would be interesting to see what documents he produced for the child at immigration.....

Japanese embassy??

I don't think that's too difficult.

 

There's a steady stream of Filipino babies being flown from their workplace countries back to their families on the Philippines. The kids are usually 3-6 months old and there's a pickup service where the mother/father does not even have to fly - someone is paid to accompany the kids from airport to airport. Such a person would often appear at immigration with different children, I think with proper documents/authorizations this would not cause trouble at the checkpoints.

 

Some of these kids' parents are no longer legally in the country, so they can't appear in front of exit immigration. The Phillipines embassy/consulate issues a passport based on a few documents clarifying parenthood for the baby.

 

I don't see why this should not also be possible in Thailand and for exit to Japan. Best case, this was a baby factory for childless Japanese couples, and the guy was the transporter. Probably a bit shady at least, but perhaps not hardcore mafia organ trade. That idea was just for some forgotten politician to push herself into the spotlight.

 

Worst case, well...

 

But since the Japanese consulate must have issued passports all along (a process that can be finished in 2-3 hours), I'm now tending more towards a best-case scenario. Still needs to be carefully investigated at all ends since the appearance of human trafficking is there.