🔗 Share this article Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Unprecedented Price of 3.2 million dollars at Japanese Capital Auction The 'Tuna King' is a regular participant at the annual event. A substantial bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the calendar year. The top bid for the 243-kilogram fish was submitted by the company of a well-known sushi chain, which operates restaurants throughout Japan and internationally. "An inaugural tuna brings a prosperous start," stated the company president, a regular figure at the traditional January sale. Referred to as the Tuna King, this businessman is noted for submitting substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions. Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Past Following the auction, the successful bidder informed the press that he was "taken aback at the amount," stating, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little for less, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This latest acquisition surpasses his own notable purchases: He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He paid 155 million yen a year later. In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars). Even after previously commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now gone on to shatter his personal record another time. An Annual Spectacle of High Prices The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is typically characterized by exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different food company, which indicated the fish would be served at its eateries across Japan. The high-energy atmosphere at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a popular spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling. Swift Service The multi-million-dollar tuna was promptly sliced up for customers at the bidder's sushi chains immediately after the auction ended. "I feel like I've begun the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," shared one satisfied patron.
The 'Tuna King' is a regular participant at the annual event. A substantial bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2m; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the calendar year. The top bid for the 243-kilogram fish was submitted by the company of a well-known sushi chain, which operates restaurants throughout Japan and internationally. "An inaugural tuna brings a prosperous start," stated the company president, a regular figure at the traditional January sale. Referred to as the Tuna King, this businessman is noted for submitting substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile January auctions. Bidding Shock and Record-Setting Past Following the auction, the successful bidder informed the press that he was "taken aback at the amount," stating, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little for less, but the price skyrocketed in no time." This latest acquisition surpasses his own notable purchases: He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen back in 2012. He paid 155 million yen a year later. In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen (2.1 million dollars). Even after previously commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now gone on to shatter his personal record another time. An Annual Spectacle of High Prices The first auction at the Tokyo fish market is typically characterized by exceptionally high prices. In the prior year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different food company, which indicated the fish would be served at its eateries across Japan. The high-energy atmosphere at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a popular spectacle in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling. Swift Service The multi-million-dollar tuna was promptly sliced up for customers at the bidder's sushi chains immediately after the auction ended. "I feel like I've begun the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year begins," shared one satisfied patron.