Pacific Bluefin Fish Fetches Unprecedented Sum of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale

A bulky bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, securing a historic bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the market's first auction of the year.

The winning bid for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the operator of a nationwide sushi chain, which manages outlets domestically and internationally.

"The year's tuna brings fortune," stated the entrepreneur, a familiar figure at the yearly January sale.

Dubbed the Tuna Tycoon, this entrepreneur is famous for submitting high bids for bluefin tuna at these symbolic new year auctions.

Bidding Shock and Historic Precedent

After the auction, the successful bidder informed journalists that he was "surprised at the final price," adding, "I had thought we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price soared in no time."

This new acquisition tops his previous notable purchases:

• He secured a tuna for 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
• He spent 155 million yen in 2013.
• In 2019, he purchased a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1 million).

Even after once commenting that he thought he "overdid it," he has now proceeded to surpass his personal record yet again.

An Annual Spectacle of Exorbitant Bids

The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically characterized by exorbitant prices. In the prior year, the initial tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by another sushi chain operator, which stated the fish would be available at its restaurants across Japan.

The frenetic energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has transformed into a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.

Immediate Consumption

The multi-million-dollar tuna was shortly thereafter processed for customers at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction ended.

"I sense like I've started the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so lucky as the year gets underway," shared one happy patron.