At the first auction of the year in Japan, a bluefin tuna weighing 276kg was priced at the highest price of 1.32 million USD, double that of the previous year and the second highest in history.
On January 5, the first auction of the new year was held at Toyosu Market in Koto Ward, Tokyo (Japan). Here, a bluefin tuna was "finalized" with the highest price of 207 million yen (about 1.32 million USD).
This bluefin tuna weighed 276kg and was caught in the waters off Oma, Aomori Prefecture.
This is the 14th consecutive year that bluefin tuna caught in this sea area has become the "best tuna".
The 207 million yen price for a bluefin tuna was the second highest since 1999 when records began, behind only the record 333.6 million yen at the 2019 auction, and more than double the 114.24 million yen price last year.
According to estimates, this tuna costs about 750,000 yen/kg and when converted into sushi, each portion will cost about 30,000 yen (about 190 USD).
Normally, the price of a tuna in winter at the Toyosu auction market ranges from 1-1.5 million yen, but in the first auctions of the year, intermediary companies often set high prices in the hope of prosperous business in the new year.
The winter tuna fishery is a brutal battle with nature and prices at early year auctions depend heavily on the quality of fish on offer.
In addition, with intermediary companies purchasing fish based on orders from restaurants and retail stores, the first auction of the year is also an important indicator of Japanese people's consumption trends in the coming time.
TB (summary)