Japan sees multi-million dollar Tuna sale at New Year auction

TOKYO: At the famous Toyosu fish market, in Tokyo, a Bluefin tuna was sold at a record price during the first auction of 2026, astonishing everyone. The large Bluefin tuna, weighing 243 kilograms (535 pounds), fetched 510 million yen (approximately $3.2 million), marking it as the most expensive tuna auctioned to date. These fish are found off the coast of Oma in northern Japan and are considered the finest and most delicious tuna in the country. According to a report by the Associated Press, the highest bid was placed by the “Kiyomura” company. The owner, Kiyoshi Kimura, operates a famous sushi chain called “Sushi Zanmai” in Japan. Kimura has previously purchased the most expensive tuna multiple times at the New Year auction, but this time he broke his own record. In 2019, he set a record by buying a tuna for 334 million yen.