Pacific Bluefin Tuna 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 record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the new year.

The winning offer for the 243-kilogram fish was submitted by the parent firm of a well-known sushi restaurant group, which manages outlets domestically and overseas.

"The year's tuna heralds a prosperous start," remarked the company president, a familiar participant at the traditional January sale.

Referred to as the King of Tuna, this industry figure is renowned for making record bids for bluefin tuna at these auspicious new year auctions.

Bidding Surprise and Historic Past

Following the auction, the successful bidder admitted to reporters that he was "taken aback at the final price," noting, "I believed we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed before you knew it."

This latest purchase tops his previous notable purchases:

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

Even after once saying that he thought he "bid too high," he has now proceeded to break his personal record once again.

An Annual Spectacle of High Prices

The inaugural auction at the Tokyo fish market is typically associated with sky-high prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was bought for 207 million yen by a different sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be served at its locations nationwide.

The high-energy atmosphere at the fish market during these early morning auctions has transformed into a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no different.

Immediate Consumption

The extremely valuable tuna was quickly prepared for patrons at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction ended.

"I believe like I've begun the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so lucky as the year gets underway," shared one satisfied diner.