Giant tuna fetches record $396K in a Tokyo auction

January 6th, 2011 - 1:34 am ICT by Aishwarya Bhatt  

Tokyo, Jan 5 (THAINDIAN NEWS) The fish auction in the Japanese capital of Tokyo got off to a massive start when a giant tuna was purchased for a record-breaking $396,000.

The Tsukiji market has been having the auction every year and the value of the 342-kilogram tuna did beat the previous record for the most expensive tuna ever purchased at the market. The previous tuna in 2001 was $245,000.

An official of the market told reporters that the fish was exceptionally huge but he admitted that the price that the tuna was bought did shock all the officials at the market.

When he bought the fish, Hong Kong entrepreneur Ricky Cheng revealed that he was happy that he managed to buy the tuna. He is co-owner of a sushi restaurant in Tokyo. He also owns a casual sushi chain in Hong Kong called the Itamae Sushi.

After purchasing the tuna, he told reporters that he was now relieved that he managed to get tuna.

He said that, “I was nervous when I arrived in Tokyo yesterday, but I am relieved now.”

Some observers are worried that with prices like these, the quest to protect the tuna might fail.

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