Pacific Bluefin Tuna Fetches Unprecedented Bid of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale

A massive Pacific bluefin tuna created waves 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 opening auction of the calendar year.

The successful bid for the 243kg fish came from the company of a nationwide sushi chain, which manages restaurants domestically and overseas.

"The year's tuna brings a prosperous start," stated the company president, a regular bidder at the yearly January sale.

Referred to as the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is noted for making high bids for bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions.

Auction Shock and Historic Past

After the auction, the winner admitted to journalists that he was "surprised at the amount," noting, "I believed we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price soared before you knew it."

This latest acquisition surpasses his own notable purchases:

• He paid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
• He paid 155 million yen a year later.
• In 2019, he won a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).

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

A Tradition of Exorbitant Bids

The opening auction at the Tokyo fish market is traditionally associated with sky-high prices. The previous year, the initial tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by a different culinary group, which stated the fish would be served at its eateries across Japan.

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

Immediate Consumption

The multi-million-dollar tuna was promptly sliced up for patrons at the entrepreneur's sushi establishments soon after the auction ended.

"I feel like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after eating something so lucky as the year begins," remarked one satisfied customer.