Pacific Bluefin Tuna Fetches Historic Bid of $3.2m at Japanese Capital Auction

A bulky 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 venue's first auction of the calendar year.

The top offer for the 243-kilogram fish was submitted by the company of a nationwide sushi chain, which manages restaurants domestically and abroad.

"The first tuna signals a prosperous start," stated the entrepreneur, a notable bidder at the traditional new year's auction.

Referred to as the King of Tuna, this industry figure is renowned for submitting substantial bids for premium bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions.

Auction Surprise and Historic Precedent

Following the auction, the winner informed journalists that he was "surprised at the winning bid," noting, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little for less, but the price skyrocketed in no time."

This most recent purchase surpasses his previous notable purchases:

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

Despite previously commenting that he thought he "did too much," he has now gone on to surpass his own record once again.

A Tradition of High Prices

The first auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically characterized by exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was bought for 207 million yen by another food company, which stated the fish would be served at its locations across Japan.

The intense activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has evolved into a major spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.

From Auction to Plate

The extremely valuable tuna was quickly sliced up for patrons at the winner's sushi chains soon after the auction concluded.

"I believe like I've started the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so auspicious as the year begins," shared one elated patron.