A sushi business from Japan made a splash at the New Year’s first auction in Tokyo by purchasing a gigantic tuna that weighs as much as a motorcycle, for a staggering price of $1.3 million.

Onodera Group, the buyer, secured a 608-pound bluefin tuna on Sunday at the Toyosu Fish Market in Tokyo. The company proudly announced this achievement on its social media platforms and through a press release.

They noted online that this marks the fifth consecutive year that they have won the first tuna auction.

Onodera Group is part of Onodera Food Services, which operates Ginza Onodera and manages 20 restaurants across three countries, including locations in Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Honolulu in Hawaii, and Houston, Texas.

What’s next for the big tuna?

Onodera Group has plans to serve the high-priced tuna across 13 of its Ginza Onodera establishments in two different countries. Additionally, it will be featured in 20 restaurants worldwide, including both the Sushi Ginza Onodera Main Branch and Kaiten Sushi Ginza Onodera Main Branch located in Tokyo.

This exceptional tuna will also be served at the Sushi Ginza Onodera Four Seasons Hotel Kyoto and in one of Onodera Group’s newer conveyor belt sushi locations as noted by the company.

The bluefin tuna species includes various types such as the Pacific bluefin, Atlantic bluefin, and southern bluefin, according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).

These fish can reach weights of up to 1,500 pounds and measure between 6 to 10 feet, as stated by the World Wildlife Fund.

For years, global organizations have been working to protect bluefin tuna due to concerns over overfishing. However, the IUCN has adjusted its classification of the species following a recovery in their populations.

The IUCN indicates that this change is likely a result of “countries enforcing more sustainable fishing quotas and effectively tackling illegal fishing activities.”

In 2021, the classifications for bluefin tuna were revised: the Atlantic bluefin was moved from “endangered” to “least concern,” while the southern bluefin was categorized as “endangered,” up from “critically endangered.” The Pacific bluefin was classified as “near threatened,” noted for being “severely depleted at less than 5% of its original biomass,” according to the IUCN’s assessment at that time.

The current classifications remain unchanged on the IUCN’s website.

More on the world-famous fish market

The auction for the tuna took place at Toyosu Market, a prominent fish market run by the Tokyo Metropolitan Government.

Previously, the auctions were held at Tsukiji Market; however, they were relocated to Toyosu in October 2018 to accommodate different requirements of producers, retailers, and customers, as outlined by the Japan National Tourism Organization.

The new market in Tokyo is nearly double the size of the old one and is recognized as the largest market in the world, according to the organization.

While announcing the purchase of the million-dollar tuna, Onodera Group expressed gratitude to all parties involved in making the acquisition possible.

“We received remarkable support from Yukitaka Yamaguchi, president of Toyosu wholesaler Yamayuki,” the company expressed. “We sincerely appreciate his assistance.”