The topic I choose is Thai Court gives Secretive Japanese Millionaire Custody of 13 Surrogate
Kids. This issue falls on Global Bioethics and is an ethical issue because it involves issues with
the rights of the children produced, the ethical and practical ramifications of the further
commodification of women’s bodies, and the exploitation of women.
USA Today reported that A Thai Court granted legal custody of 13 babies carried by surrogate
mothers to a secretive Japanese millionaire who their biological father is, reviving a bizarre
story that captured tabloid headlines four years ago, but leaving some basic questions
unanswered. Mitsutoki Shigeta’s case raised eyebrows in 2014 when police raided a Bangkok
condominium and found nine babies and nine nannies living in unfurnished rooms. It was
determined that Shigeta had fathered the children using Thai surrogate mothers with the
DNA evidence confirmed that Shigeta is the children’s father. When public interest in the
case becomes intense, Shigeta through his lawyer said that he simply wants to have a big
family. However, the founder of the New Light clinic, Mariam Kukunashvili who recruited one
of the surrogate mother, said that she Shigeta told her that he wanted to win elections and
could use his big family for voting and plan to have 10 to 15 babies a year and will continue
the baby-making process until he’s dead. The court gives Shigeta a custody as he did not
show behavior linking to human trafficking, which had been a concern when his story was
originally revealed (Kaewjinda, 2018).
Bangkok’s Central Juvenile and Family Court gave Shigeta sole legal custody of the children
because the children were born before the new law was enacted, he is financially stable and
had shown his plans to care for them, and because the surrogate mothers signed documents
waiving their custody rights. However, the cons to this issue are to the exploitation of poor
and low-income women who’s desperate for money, as well as the ethical and moral
consequences of transforming a normal biological function of a woman's body into a
commercial transaction.
There are two stakeholders at the hold. Merely, the surrogate mother, who are desperately
doing it for money. Next, the fate of the babies who now belongs to Shigeta. Even though his
claims just to have a big family, I did not know what’s his other motives fathered the children
because I think his motives having them somewhat dubious.
I believe the media have done a good job covering this issue and raising people interest
because at first people thought that it is on the human trafficking issues. However, after the
case went on and on, it is revealed that it is not the human trafficking issues but, on the
surrogacy, matters and the fate of the babies as well as the surrogate mothers.
Another article I found is on the Washington Post, titled “Japanese Millionaire dubbed the
‘baby factory’ just won the custody of 13 surrogate children”. This article reported quite the
same with the USA Today. However, his article emphasized more to Mariam Kukunashvili,
the founder of the clinic. The article reported that Kukunashvili told the Washington Post in
an email that Shigeta revealed his plans for more than 1,000 children with as many as 20
babies born annually. Other than that, Kukunashvili also states that she warned Interpol in
2013 over concerns of baby trafficking, but she said she did not hear back from the agency.
The Thai Court gives Secretive Japanese Millionaire Custody of 13 Surrogate Kids
Nevertheless, the Interpol office in Thailand said it never received the messages from her.
This article also states that Kukunashvili’s concerns were assuaged once it was revealed
Shigeta came from a wealthy family and offers her apologies as well as hoping that Shigeta
understands that it is her professional obligation to make sure babies are in safe hands. In
my opinion, this article presents more precise details on this issue especially on
Kukunashvili’s part compared to the USA today’s article (Horton, 2018).
Link: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/japanese-
millionaire-dubbed-the-baby-factory-dad-just-won-custody-of-13-surrogate-children/?
utm_term=.3ea39a9d57b0
I doubted the decision of giving the millionaire the custody because I’m not clear what’s his
intention of having a lot of children. For me, thirteen children at the same time is a lot and I
don’t think just because of he wants a big family would be a solid answer to that. I would go
with the utilitarian approach it provides the greatest good for the greatest number. The
greatest good here would be best for the children and I believe Shigeta would provide the
greatest benefit and the least harms to the children. Nevertheless, in term of the
manipulating poor women who are desperate for money, I would go for the common-good
approach, in term of respecting and valuing the freedom of individuals to pursue their own
goals, as well as recognize and further those goals we share.
Reference:
Kaewjinda, K. (2018, February 20). Thai court gives secretive Japanese millionaire
custody of 13 surrogate kids. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/world/2018/02/20/thai-court-gives-
secretive-japanese-millionaire-custody-13-surrogate-kids/354000002/
Horton, A. (2018, February 20). Japanese millionaire dubbed the 'baby factory' dad
just won custody of 13 surrogate children. Retrieved February 22, 2018, from
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/worldviews/wp/2018/02/20/japanese-
millionaire-dubbed-the-baby-factory-dad-just-won-custody-of-13-surrogate-
children/?utm_term=.3ea39a9d57b0
Surrogacy. (n.d). Retrieved from http://www.cbc-network.org/issues/making-
life/surrogacy/
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