Giant Tuna Sells for $1.3 Million at Tokyo’s New Year Auction

A giant bluefin tuna, weighing a staggering 276 kilograms, sold for $1.3 million at Tokyo’s first fish auction of the year, marking the second-highest price ever recorded for the event.

The prized catch, hailed as “as fat as a cow” by 73-year-old fisherman Masahiro Takeuchi, was hauled in near Oma, a renowned tuna fishing hotspot in northern Honshu.

The eye-popping sale price is seen as a positive sign for Japan’s economic recovery following a downturn during the pandemic, which had dampened auction enthusiasm in recent years.

While the sale’s hefty price tag might suggest exceptional quality, industry insiders view the annual New Year auction more as a symbolic tradition. High bids like this are intended to celebrate good fortune and prosperity for the year ahead.

Shinji Nagao, president of a leading sushi chain and co-purchaser of the tuna, emphasized the festive spirit: “The year’s first tuna brings good luck. We want to make people smile with food.”