Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Historic Price of 3.2 million dollars at Japanese Capital New Year Sale

A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the calendar year.

The successful bid for the 243-kilogram fish came from the operator of a popular sushi restaurant group, which runs restaurants throughout Japan and internationally.

"The first tuna heralds a prosperous start," remarked the company president, a notable figure at the traditional January sale.

Known as the King of Tuna, this industry figure is noted for making high bids for bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions.

Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Past

After the auction, the winner admitted to the press that he was "surprised at the amount," noting, "I had thought we would be able to purchase it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed in no time."

This most recent purchase surpasses his own record purchases:

• He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
• He spent 155 million yen the following year.
• In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).

Even after previously remarking that he thought he "overdid it," he has now managed to surpass his personal record another time.

An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids

The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is traditionally characterized by sky-high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a separate food company, which announced the fish would be available at its eateries throughout the country.

The frenetic activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a popular spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no exception.

From Auction to Plate

The multi-million-dollar tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for diners at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments soon after the auction was finished.

"I believe like I've commenced the year in a positive way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," remarked one happy customer.