Elon musk wants to go to Mars. Shigeta-san wants his own cult. It's great to be a billionaire these days.
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japanese-behind-baby-factory-wants-more-surrogate-kids
The Washington Post reported that after the authorities named Mr Shigeta in 2014, his lawyers "blanketed Japanese media with demands to not publish his name or names of his family members".
The press, however, revealed that he is the eldest of tycoon Yasumitsu Shigeta's three sons.
According to The Japan Times, the older Mr Shigeta - whose net worth is US$4.2 billion (S$5.5 billion) - is the founder of Hikari Tsushin, a telecommunications and office automation firm, where his eldest son earns "millions of dollars a year in dividends" as a major shareholder. Mr Mitsutoki Shigeta is said to have businesses of his own.
The case has baffled investigators. Thailand's Interpol director Apichart Suribunya said in 2014 he has never seen a case like this. "We are trying to understand what kind of person makes this many babies."
The initial suspicion was human trafficking, but Mr Shigeta's former lawyer Ratpratan Tulatorn told Thai media in 2014: "These are legal babies, they all have birth certificates.
"There are assets purchased under these babies' names. There are savings accounts for these babies, and investments. If he were to sell these babies, why would he give them these benefits?"
Mr Shigeta's personal motives still appear murky.
His current lawyer, Mr Kong Suriyamontol, argued during the custody trial that Mr Shigeta "was born in a big family and wanted the children to grow up together". He hoped to pass his fortune and business to his children, he said.
But Ms Kukunashvili said Mr Shigeta had told the manager of her Bangkok fertility clinic that "he wanted to win elections and could use his big family for voting", and that the "best thing I can do for the world is to leave many children".
http://www.straitstimes.com/asia/east-asia/japanese-behind-baby-factory-wants-more-surrogate-kids
The Washington Post reported that after the authorities named Mr Shigeta in 2014, his lawyers "blanketed Japanese media with demands to not publish his name or names of his family members".
The press, however, revealed that he is the eldest of tycoon Yasumitsu Shigeta's three sons.
According to The Japan Times, the older Mr Shigeta - whose net worth is US$4.2 billion (S$5.5 billion) - is the founder of Hikari Tsushin, a telecommunications and office automation firm, where his eldest son earns "millions of dollars a year in dividends" as a major shareholder. Mr Mitsutoki Shigeta is said to have businesses of his own.
The case has baffled investigators. Thailand's Interpol director Apichart Suribunya said in 2014 he has never seen a case like this. "We are trying to understand what kind of person makes this many babies."
The initial suspicion was human trafficking, but Mr Shigeta's former lawyer Ratpratan Tulatorn told Thai media in 2014: "These are legal babies, they all have birth certificates.
"There are assets purchased under these babies' names. There are savings accounts for these babies, and investments. If he were to sell these babies, why would he give them these benefits?"
Mr Shigeta's personal motives still appear murky.
His current lawyer, Mr Kong Suriyamontol, argued during the custody trial that Mr Shigeta "was born in a big family and wanted the children to grow up together". He hoped to pass his fortune and business to his children, he said.
But Ms Kukunashvili said Mr Shigeta had told the manager of her Bangkok fertility clinic that "he wanted to win elections and could use his big family for voting", and that the "best thing I can do for the world is to leave many children".
