Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Unprecedented Sum of 3.2 million dollars at Tokyo Auction

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

The successful bid for the 243kg fish came from the company of a nationwide sushi chain, which operates locations across the country and internationally.

"An inaugural tuna brings fortune," remarked the entrepreneur, a notable figure at the traditional new year's auction.

Known as the Tuna Tycoon, this businessman is noted for making record bids for premium bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions.

Bidding Shock and Historic Past

Following the auction, the successful bidder informed reporters that he was "astonished at the amount," adding, "I expected we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price escalated rapidly."

This latest purchase tops his own historic purchases:

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

Even after once remarking that he thought he "overdid it," he has now proceeded to surpass his personal record another time.

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 first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a separate food company, which indicated the fish would be available at its eateries across Japan.

The high-energy energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has transformed into a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no different.

Immediate Consumption

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

"I feel like I've commenced the year in a positive way after tasting something so lucky as the year starts," said one happy customer.