Pacific Bluefin Tuna Sells for Historic Price of $3.2m at Japanese Capital Auction

A substantial bluefin tuna made headlines at the Toyosu fish market this Monday, garnering a record-breaking bid of 510.3 million yen ($3.2 million; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the new year.

The successful offer for the 535-pound fish was submitted by the company of a popular sushi restaurant group, which operates outlets across the country and internationally.

"The first tuna heralds good luck," remarked the business owner, a notable bidder at the annual new year's auction.

Referred to as the Tuna Tycoon, this entrepreneur is noted for placing substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions.

Auction Shock and Historic Precedent

Following the auction, the winner told the press that he was "surprised at the winning bid," adding, "I had thought we would be able to buy it a little for less, but the price soared in no time."

This latest purchase tops his previous notable purchases:

• He bid 56.5 million yen away in 2012.
• He bid 155 million yen the following year.
• In 2019, he acquired a tuna for 333.6 million yen ($2.1m).

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

An Annual Spectacle of High Prices

The inaugural auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically associated with exorbitant prices. The previous 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 throughout the country.

The high-energy atmosphere at the fish market during these early morning auctions has become a must-see tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was equally bustling.

Immediate Consumption

The record-priced tuna was quickly processed for patrons at the bidder's sushi restaurants immediately after the auction was finished.

"I believe like I've begun the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so fortune-bringing as the year starts," said one happy diner.