A Tokyo restaurant chain has purchased a remarkable bluefin tuna for 207 million yen (approximately $1.3 million or £1 million) at the annual New Year's auction held at Toyosu Fish Market. This sale marks the second-highest price ever paid at the auction, with the tuna weighing 276 kg (608 lb). The Onodera Group, which placed the winning bid, intends to serve the tuna at its Michelin-starred Ginza Onodera restaurants and at Nadaman locations across Japan.

Shinji Nagao, an official from Onodera, noted that the first tuna of the year is believed to herald good fortune. He expressed hope that diners would enjoy the tuna and "have a wonderful year." This is the fifth consecutive year that Onodera Group has secured the top bid at the Ichiban Tuna auction, with last year's winning bid being 114 million yen.

The highest auction price for a bluefin tuna since records began in 1999 was 333.6 million yen for a 278 kg fish, sold in 2019. This record was set by Kiyoshi Kimura, who is popularly known as the "Tuna King" and is a sushi restaurant owner. The Toyosu fish market, which has been operating since 1935, is renowned for its pre-dawn daily tuna auctions and claims to be the largest fish market in the world.

In addition to the bluefin tuna, the auction featured other record-breaking sales, such as Hokkaido sea urchins, which fetched 7 million yen, according to the Japan Times. The sale of the giant bluefin tuna signifies the beginning of the new fishing season in Japan, with many restaurants and markets eager to capitalize on the fresh catch.