JAPAN : The sushi craze in Japan has once again gained global attention, with a well-known sushi restaurant making history by purchasing $3.2 million worth of tuna at a fish market. This extraordinary purchase is being considered one of the most expensive auctions in recent years, breaking several old records. According to the AFP news agency, the auction is not just a business event but also a sign that the number of bluefin tuna in the Pacific Ocean is improving, which had once declined to dangerous levels. The Pew Charitable Trust’s International Fisheries Team has cited this auction as an example of this positive development. The sushi restaurant chain known as Tuna King has won the highest bid at a Tokyo fish market for a 243kg bluefin tuna caught off Japan’s northern coast. After the auction, restaurant owner Kiyoshi Kimura admitted he was surprised by the sharp increase in price. Kiyoshi Kimura said he expected the fish to be sold for a relatively low price, but the bidding rose so quickly that the record price was set before he could guess. He hoped that sushi made from this high-quality tuna would bring joy and energy to as many people as possible. The price of 510 million yen in this New Year’s Eve auction is the highest since 1999. Previously, in 2019, 278 kilograms of bluefin tuna were sold for 333 million yen, while last year 207 million yen was paid for 276 kilograms of fish. Immediately after the auction, the prized tuna was cut into pieces and made into sushi, which sold for about 500 yen, or three US dollars, per roll. Minami Sugiyama, a 19-year-old customer at Kimura’s restaurant in the Tsukiji area of Tokyo, told AFP she felt like she had started the year with a special and memorable taste. Another customer, Kiyoshi Nishimura, agreed. This auction not only reflects Japan’s sushi culture, but also tells a hopeful story related to the conservation and restoration of marine life.
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