A 243-kilogram bluefin tuna sold for a record ¥510.3 million, or about $3.2 million, during the first auction of the year at Tokyo’s Toyosu fish market. The winning bid came from Kiyomura Corp., which operates the Sushi Zanmai restaurant chain in Japan and overseas. [Source 9204]
The predawn sale surpassed the market’s previous record, set in 2019 when Kiyomura president Kiyoshi Kimura paid ¥333.6 million for another bluefin tuna. The Associated Press rounded the earlier figure to ¥334 million and reported that the 2026 purchase cost approximately ¥2.1 million per kilogram. [Sources 9204, 9205]
Kimura, a regular participant in the annual auction who is widely known as the “Tuna King,” told reporters that he had expected to spend less. He said the bidding escalated rapidly, while also describing the purchase as partly intended to bring good fortune at the beginning of the year. The fish was later cut and served to customers at his company’s sushi restaurants. [Sources 9204, 9205]
The tuna was caught off Oma in northern Japan, an area associated with highly valued catches. At Toyosu, bidders assess exposed sections near the tails of tuna for qualities including color, texture and fat content before making offers. Hundreds of tuna are traded in the market’s regular early-morning auctions, but the ceremonial first sale of the year can attract prices far above ordinary commercial levels. [Source 9205]
Kiyomura has repeatedly made headline-generating bids at Tokyo’s New Year auctions. Kimura paid ¥56.5 million for a tuna in 2012 and ¥155 million in 2013 before establishing the 2019 record. At the first auction of 2025, rival restaurant operator Onodera Group bought the leading tuna for ¥207 million, making the 2026 result more than twice that amount. [Source 9204]
The year-opening auction began at about 5 a.m. local time and drew attention beyond the seafood trade. Tokyo’s fast-moving fish auctions have also become a tourist attraction, with visitors watching wholesalers and buyers evaluate rows of tuna before bidding begins. [Source 9204]
The exceptional price reflects the promotional and ceremonial character of the New Year event rather than a typical wholesale valuation. Bluefin is prized for sushi and sashimi, while Pacific bluefin stocks have faced pressure from overfishing and climate change. The Associated Press reported that the species had previously been considered threatened but that its stock is recovering following conservation measures. [Source 9205]
For Kiyomura, the record purchase secured both the year’s most prominent tuna and another high-profile moment at Toyosu. For the market, the sale established a new benchmark six years after Kimura’s previous record and reinforced the New Year auction’s distinctive place in Tokyo’s seafood business and seasonal traditions. [Sources 9204, 9205]
