JAPAN: First tuna auction of the new year kicks off in Tokyo

Record ID: 467651

  • Title: JAPAN: First tuna auction of the new year kicks off in Tokyo
  • Date: 5th January 2014
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (JANUARY 5, 2014) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MAIN ENTRANCE TO TSUKIJI FISH MARKET MAIN HALL OF TUNA SALE MARKET AREA BUYERS AND AUCTIONEER STANDING IN TSUKIJI FISH MARKET VARIOUS OF FRESH TUNA LAID OUT BUYER SHINING LIGHT ONTO CUT TAIL OF TUNA TO EXAMINE COLOUR BUYERS AND AUCTIONEER IN TUNA SALE MARKET AREA VARIOUS OF AUCTIONEER SHOUTING DURING TUNA AUCTION AS BIDDERS RAISE HANDS TO PURCHASE TUNA VARIOUS OF MAN TAKING NOTES ABOUT SAMPLES IN NOTEBOOK MAIN HALL OF FROZEN TUNA SALE MARKET AREA MEDIA FILMING ONE OF SIX TUNA PURCHASED BY KIYOMURA CO'S PRESIDENT KIYOSHI KIMURA FOR CHAIN OF SUSHI RESTAURANTS CALLED SUSHI ZANMAI STICKER DENOTING TUNA AS CAUGHT OFF OF OMA, AOMORI PREFECTURE IN NORTHERN JAPAN SEVEN STAFF AND SUSHI CHEFS LIFTING 230 KILOGRAM (507 POUND) BLUEFIN TUNA ONTO TABLE IN DISPLAY WINDOW OF SUSHI RESTAURANT, SUSHI ZANMAI BACK OF EMPLOYEE JACKET READING (Japanese and English): SUSHI ZANMAI (SOUNDBITE) (Japanese) KIYOMURA COMPANY PRESIDENT AND OWNER OF SUSHI ZANMAI CHAIN OF SUSHI RESTAURANTS, KIYOSHI KIMURA, SAYING: "Today, I bought six delicious tunas. We are able to eat a lot, and well." KIMURA SMILING FOR MEDIA WHILE HOLDING KNIFE OVER 7.36 MILLION YEN (70,324 USD) BLUEFIN TUNA CUSTOMERS SMILING THROUGH DOOR AT KIMURA AND KIMURA SMILING BACK
  • Embargoed: 20th January 2014 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Topics: Business,Industry
  • Reuters ID: LVAZDPLKETJYXWSO35XM4DUBEYC
  • Story Text: Japan's first tuna auction of the year opened on Sunday (January 5) with a popular sushi chain owner purchasing one tuna for approximately $70,000, the highest price paid during this year's auction.
    The 230 kg (507 lbs) bluefin tuna caught off Oma, Aomori prefecture, northern Japan, was sold at a price of 7.36 million yen ($70,324) in the first tuna auction of the year, which is cheaper than last year's record price of 155.40 million yen ($1,762,700).
    Kiyomura Company President and owner of the popular sushi chain, Sushi Zanmai, Kiyoshi Kimura, said he purchased six fish.

    "Today, I bought six delicious tunas. We are able to eat a lot, and well," Kiyoshi Kimura said from the open display window of his head shop in the Tsukiji market area.
    The bluefish tuna is prized by sushi aficionados as a high-end treat and often the most expensive fish available for bidding on at the Tsukiji fish auction.
    Tuna is one of the fish dearest to Japanese hearts, and bluefin one of the most prized of tunas, with Japan consuming over half of the world's bluefin even as supplies dwindle and fishing quotas are tightened.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2014. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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