TOKYO — The predawn hours at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market witnessed an extraordinary spectacle on Monday as a colossal bluefin tuna weighing 535 pounds (243 kilograms) commanded a historic $3.2 million (510 million yen) at the annual New Year’s auction. This unprecedented transaction shattered previous records, establishing a new pinnacle in the luxury seafood market.
The prized specimen, harvested from the waters off Oma in northern Japan—a region renowned for producing supreme-quality tuna—was secured by Kiyomura Corp., led by owner Kiyoshi Kimura, who operates the acclaimed Sushi Zanmai restaurant chain. While hundreds of tuna are typically auctioned daily at the market, the celebratory nature of the New Year event and the exceptional quality of Oma tuna drive prices to significantly elevated levels.
Associated Press photographer Louise Delmotte documented the event, capturing images of bidders navigating through rows of massive tuna during the traditional auction. The acquisition of such a premium catch symbolizes both status and commitment to culinary excellence within Japan’s competitive sushi industry, where premium ingredients command premium prices.