Giant tuna fetches record $3.1 million in auction at Japan´s new market

TOKYO: A  giant tuna on Saturday was sold for  record $3.1 million in Tokyo´s new fish market, which replaced the world-famous Tsukiji late last year, held its first pre-dawn New Year´s auction.

The enormous 278-kilogramme (612-pound) fish, which is considered an endangered species,  fetched  whopping 333.6 million yen. It was caught off Japan´s northern coast.

Sushi entrepreneur Kiyoshi Kimura paid the top price, which doubled the previous record of 155 million paid in 2013.

"I bought a good tuna," the self-styled "Tuna King" said after the auction. "The price was higher than originally thought," he added.

Tsukiji is the world´s biggest fish market and a popular tourist attraction in an area packed with restaurants and shops, it  moved in October to Toyosu, a former gas plant a bit further east.

Tsukiji, which opened in 1935, was best known for its pre-dawn daily auctions of tuna, caught from all corners of the ocean, for use by everyone from top Michelin-star sushi chefs to ordinary grocery stores.

Especially at the first auction of the new year, wholesalers and sushi tycoons have been known to pay eye-watering prices for the biggest and best fish.