Japanese IVF dad of 20 still missing

THAI police are demanding the Japanese millionaire who may have fathered 20 surrogate children present himself for questioning.

THAI police are demanding the Japanese millionaire who may have fathered more than 20 surrogate children, including two from Australian egg donors, present himself for questioning.

Mitsutoki Shigeta, 24, failed to appear at a Bangkok police station to answer a summons on Monday, although his new lawyer went with a DNA sample which, he said, would prove ­paternity. Kong Suriyamonthon, replacing a lawyer who withdrew from the case last week, gave police a statement he said explained why the man, understood to be the son of Japanese multi-millionaire Yasumitsu Shigeta, wanted and needed so many children.

The lawyer refused to release the statement but a source told The Nation newspaper that Mr Shigeta stated he needed the children “to help take care of his business and heritage”.

The Japanese man, who some media outlets reported would return to Thailand for questioning, did not show up. Thai authorities have asked the Japanese government to assist in finding and returning him.

A fortnight ago, during the outcry over baby Gammy’s alleged abandonment by his West Australian biological parents, police raided an apartment block in Latphrao, northern Bangkok, finding nine babies and a pregnant Thai surrogate mother.

Mr Shigeta, who fled the country two days later, possibly carrying another child, was identified as the biological father and lessee of the apartments.

However police have since found the district residency records for the apartments, showing 21 children were registered there, by nationality, from November 25 last year to June 3.

Among the eight nationalities, two of the children were registered as Australian.

Police and welfare experts speculate that Mr Shigeta may have obtained eggs that were being stored for the biological parents by the main clinic he used, All IVF. The Australian reported last week that the biological material illegally stored at the clinic — eggs, sperm and possibly embryos — had disappeared before it was raided on August 8.

Pisit Tantiwattanakul, the main owner and operator of All IVF, also disappeared at that time. Dr Pisit, one of Thailand’s best-known infertility specialists with the largest Australian client base, failed to show last week when the Health Ministry laid police charges against him.

Police say that unless he presents himself by Friday, an ­arrest warrant will be issued.