Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Unprecedented Price of $3.2 million at Tokyo Auction

A substantial Pacific bluefin tuna created waves at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's inaugural auction of the year.

The top offer for the 243-kilogram fish was placed by the company of a popular sushi chain, which runs restaurants domestically and overseas.

"The first tuna heralds fortune," stated the company president, a regular figure at the yearly January sale.

Dubbed the Tuna Tycoon, this entrepreneur is famous for placing record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions.

Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Precedent

Following the auction, the winner informed journalists that he was "astonished at the final price," stating, "I had thought we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed rapidly."

This new acquisition surpasses his previous notable purchases:

• He bid 56.5 million yen back in 2012.
• He paid 155 million yen in 2013.
• In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).

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

A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids

The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally associated with exorbitant prices. The previous year, the first tuna was bought for 207 million yen by another food company, which stated the fish would be featured at its restaurants throughout the country.

The frenetic activity at the fish market during these pre-sunrise auctions has become a must-see event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which began around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.

Immediate Consumption

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

"I feel like I've begun the year in a positive way after eating something so lucky as the year gets underway," shared one happy patron.