Pacific Bluefin Fish Commands Record Bid of $3.2 million at Tokyo New Year Sale

A bulky Pacific bluefin tuna created waves at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the market's opening auction of the calendar year.

The top bid for the 243kg fish was placed by the operator of a nationwide sushi chain, which operates restaurants across the country and internationally.

"An inaugural tuna heralds a prosperous start," remarked the entrepreneur, a notable bidder at the yearly first sale.

Known as the Tuna King, this entrepreneur is noted for submitting substantial bids for bluefin tuna at these high-profile new year auctions.

Auction Surprise and Record-Setting Past

Following the auction, the successful bidder told reporters that he was "surprised at the winning bid," adding, "I believed we would be able to buy it a little at a lower price, but the price skyrocketed rapidly."

This latest purchase tops his own historic purchases:

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

Despite previously saying that he thought he "overdid it," he has now proceeded to break his own record once again.

An Annual Spectacle of High Prices

The opening auction at the Toyosu fish market is typically known for sky-high prices. The previous year, the first tuna was acquired for 207 million yen by a different sushi chain operator, which announced the fish would be featured at its eateries across Japan.

The frenetic energy at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has become a major tourist attraction in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which started around 05:00 local time, was no exception.

From Auction to Plate

The multi-million-dollar tuna was quickly sliced up for patrons at the entrepreneur's sushi chains shortly after the auction was finished.

"I feel like I've started the year in a auspicious way after consuming something so lucky as the year begins," said one happy diner.