Pacific Bluefin Fish Commands Historic Sum of $3.2m at Tokyo New Year Sale

A substantial bluefin tuna made headlines at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the year.

The top offer for the 243-kilogram fish came from the operator of a nationwide sushi chain, which manages locations across the country and overseas.

"The year's tuna brings fortune," commented the business owner, a familiar participant at the traditional new year's auction.

Known as the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is famous for placing record bids for bluefin tuna at these symbolic year-opening auctions.

Bidding Surprise and Record-Setting Precedent

Following the auction, the winner informed reporters that he was "surprised at the winning bid," adding, "I had thought we would be able to acquire it a little for less, but the price skyrocketed rapidly."

This most recent acquisition exceeds his own record purchases:

• He paid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
• He spent 155 million yen in 2013.
• In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars).

Even after once commenting that he thought he "did too much," he has now proceeded to shatter his own record once again.

An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids

The opening auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally associated with exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by a different food company, which announced the fish would be available at its locations across Japan.

The frenetic activity at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has evolved into a major spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no different.

Swift Service

The extremely valuable tuna was quickly sliced up for customers at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments shortly after the auction concluded.

"I sense like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after tasting something so auspicious as the year begins," said one satisfied diner.