Japanese Sushi Chef Pays Record $3.2 Million for Bluefin Tuna at Tokyo Auction

A Japanese sushi entrepreneur set a new record on Monday by paying $3.2 million for a giant bluefin tuna at the annual New Year auction at Tokyo’s main fish market. The 243-kilogram (536-pound) fish, caught off Japan’s northern coast, sold for 510.3 million yen, the highest price since records began in 1999.

Kiyoshi Kimura, known as the “Tuna King,” purchased the fish for his sushi restaurant chain. “I thought we could buy it a bit cheaper, but the price soared before we knew it,” Kimura said after the pre-dawn auction. “I hope that by eating this auspicious tuna, as many people as possible will feel energized.”

The previous record was 333.6 million yen in 2019 for a 278-kilogram bluefin. Last year, the top bid was 207 million yen for a 276-kilogram tuna.

After the auction, the fish was quickly prepared into sushi, with rolls selling for around 500 yen ($3) each. Customers praised the quality. “I feel like I’ve started the year well after eating something so auspicious,” said 19-year-old Minami Sugiyama. Shinto priest Kiyoshi Nishimura added, “Even without soy sauce, there’s sweetness, richness, and a wonderful texture—it just makes you happy.”

The record price comes as stocks of Pacific bluefin tuna are recovering after near-collapse. Dave Gershman from the Pew Charitable Trusts highlighted that a 2017 recovery plan is helping the species rebound. He called for international fisheries managers to agree on a long-term, sustainable management plan in 2026 to prevent overfishing in the future.