When surrogacy crosses borders, ethics and intent become harder to trace

Surrogacy rests on trust — people coming together to create life through mutual understanding and shared purpose. But when borders, money and power are involved, that trust can falter.

The story of Mitsutoki Shigeta, the son of a Japanese technology billionaire who fathered at least sixteen children through Thai surrogates, remains one of the most striking examples of what can happen when intent, law and ethics collide.

The story

In August 2014, Thai police raided a condominium in Bangkok and found nine babies living with nine nannies in sparsely furnished rooms filled with bottles, nappies and cots. DNA tests revealed that all the infants had the same biological father — 24-year-old Mitsutoki Shigeta.

Authorities later linked him to at least sixteen surrogate-born children and an alleged plan to father hundreds more. Interpol launched an international investigation spanning Japan, Cambodia, Hong Kong and India to understand what kind of man sought to create such a vast number of children.

Thai police initially explored two possible motives: human trafficking or child exploitation. Shigeta had reportedly hired eleven Thai surrogates, including several sets of twins, and had travelled to Thailand more than forty times since 2010. Some of his children had already been taken to Cambodia.

Mariam Kukunashvili, the founder of a multinational surrogacy clinic that first worked with Shigeta, said she grew alarmed when he revealed his intentions.
“He said he wanted ten to fifteen babies a year, and that he wanted to continue the baby-making process until he died,” she told reporters. Shigeta allegedly said he wanted to build a large family to help him “win elections” and believed that “the best thing I can do for the world is to leave many children.”

Despite global scrutiny, Shigeta insisted that his intentions were benign. His lawyer argued that he simply wanted a large family and had the resources to care for them. He had purchased assets in the children’s names, established savings accounts and investments for their futures, and ensured each had a legal birth certificate.
“If he were selling these babies, why would he give them these benefits?” his lawyer asked.

In 2018, a Thai court accepted that reasoning. It ruled that Shigeta was the biological father of thirteen of the children, found no evidence of human trafficking or ill intent, and granted him full custody. The court noted that he had created trust funds and housing for the children, and had arranged for their care in Japan. Officials who visited his home said they were reassured by his preparations and the affection shown by the children already living with him.

Although the court did not address his unusual ambition to father hundreds of children, it concluded that the children’s best interests would be served under his guardianship rather than in state care.

The aftermath

The “baby factory” case became a turning point for Thailand. It exposed how lightly regulated the international surrogacy industry had become, and how easily financial power could overwhelm ethical boundaries.

In response, Thailand passed a new law in 2015 banning commercial surrogacy for foreigners and restricting it to married Thai couples. The crackdown prompted many fertility businesses to relocate across borders — first to Cambodia, then to Laos — as countries tried to keep pace with the growing demand for reproductive services.

Shigeta himself has remained largely out of the public eye. Now in his thirties, he is believed to live quietly in Japan with his children, supported by an extensive network of carers. By all accounts, they are well provided for materially, though many still question how one person can meaningfully nurture so many lives at once.

What this means for you

For Australians, cases like this highlight why our surrogacy laws are intentionally slow and structured.

In Australia, surrogacy is strictly altruistic. It is illegal to pay a surrogate beyond reasonable expenses, and every arrangement must be approved by a court before parentage is transferred. Both the surrogate and the intended parents must receive independent legal advice and counselling.

It may seem bureaucratic, but this framework is designed to protect everyone involved — most importantly, the child. It ensures that intent is genuine, expectations are clear, and relationships are grounded in trust rather than transaction.

In summary

Mitsutoki Shigeta’s “baby factory” case sits at the uneasy intersection of wealth, technology and desire. It reminds us that surrogacy is not just about creating life, but about creating family — something that cannot be measured in numbers or bank accounts.

References

Part of Stoorky’s “News” series on global surrogacy developments.