Sendai Bank gifts babies their weight at birth in money upon opening a new bank account

In a unique initiative, Sendai Bank is offering to deposit an amount of money into newborn babies' bank accounts equal to their weight in grams at birth. This initiative starts on October 1, and it will be in effect for babies born in Miyagi Prefecture. The larger the baby, the bigger the monetary gift. For instance, a baby weighing 3,250 grams (approximately 7.17 pounds) will receive 3,250 yen (around US$20.59) in their bank account upon opening the first account in their name.

The idea for this program was conceived by an employee of the bank, and it aims to encourage families to continue using the bank's services as their child grows older. This monetary gift can also be utilized to help cover potential damages to parents' devices caused by the child in their early years.

To be eligible for this program, the child must be six years old or younger, have received a "Sukusuku" ("healthy growing") Box, and have a minimum deposit of 30,000 yen into the new bank account at the time of its creation. The "Sukusuku" Box is a project implemented in Miyagi Prefecture to provide childcare assistance and helpful items to new parents.

To ensure accuracy, Sendai Bank will verify the baby's weight at the time of birth using the official Maternal and Child Health Handbook, a guidebook distributed by local municipalities that tracks a baby's growth during pregnancy and postpartum by healthcare professionals. Parents cannot manipulate the numbers to make it appear that their baby was born heavier than it actually was, as the bank will confirm the weight through official records.