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A bluefin tuna on Monday was sold for a record 510.3 million Japanese Yen (JPY), about USD 3.2 million, at the first auction of the year at Tokyo's Toyosu fish market, Kyodo News reported.
According to Kyodo News, the bluefin tuna, one of the most desirable fish for Japan's iconic dish, Sushi, weighed 243 kg and was caught off the coast of Oma in Aomori Prefecture in the Tohoku region. The fish was purchased by Kiyomura Corporation, a Tokyo-based operator of the popular sushi restaurant chain Sushizanmai. Calling the New Year's first tuna a symbol of good fortune, Kiyomura President Kiyoshi Kimura said the company hopes customers will enjoy the fish and feel energised, as reported by Kyodo News. "The year's first tuna brings good luck. We hope as many people as possible can enjoy it and feel energised," Kimura stated, as quoted by Kyodo News. The tuna will be cut at Sushizanmai's Tsukiji head branch and distributed to its outlets across Japan. Despite the record-breaking price, the company said it will serve the tuna to customers at regular menu rates, Kyodo News reported. According to the Tokyo metropolitan government, this was the highest winning bid since comparable records began in 1999. The price far exceeded the previous record of JPY 333.6 million set in 2019, following the relocation of the historic Tsukiji fish market to Toyosu. The early-morning auction, which began at 5:10 am (local time), drew large crowds, including foreign tourists, who watched bidders compete in the traditional New Year event, Kyodo News reported. High bids at the first auction of the year are widely seen as a sign of good luck and a promotional opportunity for restaurants. Tuna prices have rebounded in recent years after slumping during the COVID-19 pandemic, with top bids recorded at JPY 36.0 million in 2023, JPY 114.2 million in 2024, and JPY 207.0 million in 2025, as reported by Kyodo News. (ANI)
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