In Photos: 612 Pound-Bluefin Tuna Sold for $3 Million in Tokyo

The bluefin tuna was bought by Kiyomura Corporation, whose owner Kiyoshi Kimura runs the Sushi Zanmai chain.

A bluefin tuna fish was sold at an auction in Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji market for 333.6 million yen i.e. three million dollars.

(Photo: AP)

A bluefin tuna fish was sold at an auction in Tokyo’s famed Tsukiji market for 333.6 million yen ($3 million). The fish weighs 612 pounds.

Kiyomura Corp. Owner Kiyoshi Kimura (left) stands near the bluefin tuna for which he made a wining bid at the annual New Year auction.

The bluefin tuna is a prized but threatened species. It was sold at a predawn auction on Saturday, 5 January, reported Associated Press.

It was bought by Kiyomura Corporation, whose owner Kiyoshi Kimura runs the Sushi Zanmai chain, the report said.

Kimora reportedly told Japanese broadcaster NHK that he did not expect the price of the tuna to be so high but “the quality of the tuna I bought is the best.”

A prospective buyer inspects the quality of a fresh tuna before the first auction of the year at the newly-opened Toyosu Market.

A buyer hauls away a fresh tuna after bidding during the first auction of the year at the Toyosu Market.

A prospective buyer inspects the quality of frozen tuna at the Toyosu Market.

A buyer checks the quality of frozen tuna at the newly-opened Toyosu Market.

Rows of frozen tuna ahead of the auction at the Toyosu Market.

Tokyo Governor Yuriko Koike (centre) observes as prospective buyers bid on fresh tuna during the first auction of the year at Toyosu Market.

(With inputs from Associated Press.)