TOKYO (TR) – On January 30, the U.S. Department of Justice released 3 million pages of documents on American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who committed suicide under mysterious circumstances after being indicted on charges including sex trafficking.
Among the documents released were numerous emails with Japanese entrepreneur Joi Ito, 59, the president of the Chiba Institute of Technology. Ito served as director of the MIT Media Lab until his resignation in 2019 after Epstein’s monetary contributions to the lab became public.
“Until the reports leading to his arrest, I did not know that Mr. Jeffrey Epstein had engaged in the malicious criminal acts that have been reported,” Ito told Shukan Bunshun (Feb. 19). “I have never been involved in any criminal or fraudulent acts by him as reported, nor have I ever personally witnessed such acts.”
Despite this, an examination of the emails reveals the close relationship between Epstein and Ito. Within them, Ito is found to have arranged visa applications for female associates of Epstein and an internship at a hotel in the capital.
“Assistants”
On April 27, 2015, then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe visited MIT during a trip to the United States. According to email correspondence from the same period, Ito repeatedly consulted via email regarding visa applications for a visit to Japan for Epstein’s Belarusian girlfriend and two Russian female friends.
Three days before Abe’s visit, Ito writes to Epstein, “How’s your Visa for Japan going? I think we’re making progress with the Russians. I’m going to see the PM / Abe on Monday.”
There are also exchanges showing that the Belarusian and Russian women were positioned as “executive assistants” at a company in which Ito was an investor.
In preparing the applications, Ito’s assistant in an email dated April 15, 2015 suggests to an associate of Epstein, “Maybe can you explain their occupations that they are executive assistants or administrative staff at Jeffrey’s company?”
Yoshiko Sakurai
Epstein died in what was ruled a suicide in August 2019 inside a New York detention facility about one month after being arrested.
After leaving MIT, Ito in 2021 served as a member of an expert panel of the Digital Agency. Since 2023, he has served as president of Chiba Institute of Technology.
It was journalist Yoshiko Sakurai who connected the university with Ito. Sakurai states, “I have known him for more than ten years. He is overflowing with creativity and, together with Shohei Ohtani, is a treasure of Japan. When he was returning to Japan because of difficulties in America, I introduced him to Osamu Setokuma, chairman of Chiba Institute of Technology. After serving as Director of the Transformation Center, he became president two years later. He appears to be respected and liked by students and faculty.”
Toshiba
Japan’s involvement with Epstein was not limited to Ito. Toshiba Corporation is also mentioned in the Epstein documents.
Located in the United States Virgin Islands, Little St. James Island was a key location for Epstein in his carrying out of the alleged sexual abuse and trafficking of young women and underage girls.
For power on the island, Epstein at one point considered renewable energy. From 2012 to 2013, Toshiba and Epstein’s side exchanged multiple telephone calls and emails about the installation of solar equipment on the island. On February 1, 2013, the company submitted a 19-page proposal.
“It will be important for you as the customer of this project to choose a provider that has not only the experience and capabilities to ensure your system functions as designed but also has the financial wherewithal to stand behind each project we install,” writes Mark Lonkevych in the cover letter dated February 1, 2013.
Mori Building
When Epstein visited Japan, Ito relied upon Mori Building Co., Ltd., a major real estate company, to provide assistance.
In an email from November 2013, Ito proposes using Mori Building’s helicopter to travel from Tokyo to Kyoto.
He explains that the round-trip charter fee would exceed 1.5 million yen, and that the journey would take approximately two and a half hours due to refueling in Shizuoka Prefecture.
Three years later, Ito introduced Andaz Tokyo, a luxury hotel operated by Mori Building, and made reservations under Epstein’s name.
Ito also inquired with management at Andaz Tokyo about whether an internship was available for a Russian woman connected to Epstein. On December 24, 2018, Ito writes to an executive of Mori Building, “She is a daughter of a friend of mine.”
In responding, the executive says that he had “adjusted it to accept interns with andaz.” The executive then asks Ito, “Can we contact her directly from the hotel representative?” To which, Ito writes, “Please do. Thank you very much!”
On May 22, 2019, Epstein inquires in an email about booking a room at the “Andaz Hotel in Tokyo where [redacted] has her internship.”
Refrain from comment
Ito did not comment to Bunshun regarding the visa mediation or the internship.
Mori Building told Bunshun that it has no relationship with Epstein whatsoever, and denied having granted any special favors.
Meanwhile, Toshiba stated that it would refrain from comment as it is confirming the facts.
