A massive bluefin tuna caused a stir at the Tokyo's Toyosu fish market this Monday, achieving a unprecedented bid of 510.3 million yen (3.2 million US dollars; £2.4m) during the venue's inaugural auction of the year.
The top offer for the 535-pound fish came from the parent firm of a nationwide sushi chain, which runs restaurants throughout Japan and abroad.
"An inaugural tuna brings a prosperous start," commented the company president, a notable figure at the traditional new year's auction.
Referred to as the Tuna Tycoon, this industry figure is noted for submitting substantial bids for premium bluefin tuna at these symbolic January auctions.
After the auction, the successful bidder informed journalists that he was "surprised at the final price," adding, "I expected we would be able to acquire it a little at a lower price, but the price soared rapidly."
This latest purchase tops his previous notable purchases:
Even after previously saying that he thought he "overdid it," he has now managed to surpass his personal record yet again.
The inaugural auction at the Tokyo fish market is typically characterized by exorbitant prices. Last year, the initial tuna was purchased for 207 million yen by a separate food company, which announced the fish would be served at its eateries across Japan.
The frenetic activity at the fish market during these pre-dawn auctions has become a major event in Tokyo. Monday's auction, which commenced around 05:00 local time, was no exception.
The multi-million-dollar tuna was shortly thereafter sliced up for diners at the winner's sushi establishments immediately after the auction ended.
"I feel like I've commenced the year in a auspicious way after eating something so lucky as the year starts," said one happy diner.
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