Top Executives in Shikoku Bank in Japan take pledge to commit suicide if they do any financial fraud

Top executives at a Japanese bank have reportedly pledged to “commit suicide” if they are found to be involved in any financial irregularities within the organization. The leadership of Shikoku Bank has taken an oath, signed in blood, to abstain from financial misconduct.

The pledge states that if any of the bank’s executives are discovered to have embezzled or misappropriated funds, they will “commit suicide” as punishment. After a screenshot from the bank’s website was posted on social media, this bizarre pledge has bewildered many netizens.

“Pledge”

Anyone employed by this bank who has stolen money or caused others to steal from the bank will pay for it with his or her own property and then commit suicide.

The post compared the corporate governance practices at Japanese banks versus American banks, suggesting that financial impropriety may not always result in meaningful consequences for employees in the latter.

According to the bank’s website, the pledge signed by 23 Shikoku Bank executives reads: “Anyone employed by this bank who has stolen money or caused others to steal from the bank will pay for it with his or her own property and then commit suicide.”

The website states that this pledge is part of a document that was signed and stamped in blood by all 23 employees, including the bank’s President Miura, to ensure the proper handling of banknotes.

It indicates that if any abnormalities are discovered in financial transactions, the accused party would be required to pay back impacted customers and then engage in the ritual suicide known as “seppuku.”

Seppuku, also called hara-kiri, is a form of ritual suicide that originated in Japan. It was historically practiced by samurai as a means of preserving their honor.