築地市場新高價售出藍鰭吞拿

Recently the NHK News reported the following:

水産物の取り扱い量が日本一の東京の築地市場で、５日朝、初競りが行われ、近海でとれた高級なクロマグロが築地市場の過去最高値で落札されました。
築地市場では、仲卸業者などおよそ３００人が、ことし１年の商売繁盛を祈る手締めを行ったあと、午前５時に初競りが始まりました。このうちマグロは、全国の港に水揚げされた近海ものや海外から空輸されたものなど、あわせて５００本近くが並び、競りにかけられました。特に近海でとれた高級なクロマグロは、ここ数年、中国でも人気が高まり、日本のすし店などとの間で落札競争が激しくなっていて、５日の初競りでも値段がどんどん上がり、仲卸業者によりますと、北海道の戸井港に水揚げされた重さ３４２キロのマグロが３２４９万円で競り落とされました。東京都によりますと、マグロ１本の値段としては、築地市場に記録が残る平成１１年以降、最高値となっています。このマグロは、中国などですしのチェーン店を営む香港の業者と東京・銀座の高級すし店が共同で購入して、半分ずつ分け合いました。マグロを購入した香港の業者、リッキー・チェンさんは「日本のマグロは非常にレベルが高く、どうしても欲しかった。思った以上に高値になったが、競り落とせてうれしい」と話していました。また、同じマグロを共同で購入した銀座のすし店の今田洋輔さんは「予想以上の値段だったが、予想以上にいいマグロで、お客さんに楽しんでもらえると思う」と話していました。
Tsukiji Shijo in Tokyo, as the the number one in Japan in the amount of handling marine catches, in the morning on the fifth successfully held its first auction, the high-end blue-fin tuna that could be caught in the neighboring waters was auctioned at a highest ever price in Tsukiji Shijo.
About 300 people in Tsukiji Shijo including middle-traders started the first auction at 5.00 am after performing the ceremony with hands tighten to pray for a year of prosperous business. As for the tuna, those landed in the ports in the whole country from inshore, together with those airlifted from overseas were lined up totalling about 500, and were put up for competition. Especially in the past few years the high-end blue-fin tuna caught near shore was popular in China, and competition among sushi shops in Japan was tense, the price went up fast during the first auction held on the 5th. According to middle-traders the tuna that weighted 342 kilos and landed at the Toi port in Hokkaido was successfully bidden at 32.49 million yen. According to Tokyo, it was the highest price since 1999 when records on the price of one tuna was available in Tsukiji Shijo. This tuna was bought jointly by a trader in Hong Kong who managed multiple sushi shops in China etc.. together with some high-class sushi shops in Tokyo and Ginza; they shared it equally. Trader Ricky Cheng in Hong Kong who had bought the tuna said ｢Tuna in Japan was very high level, and wanted the tuna by all means. I am glad to have bidden it in the auction although it came at a price higher than I thought｣. Moreover, Yosuke Imada of a sushi shop in Ginza which had jointly bought the same tuna was saying that "It is thought that the guests could enjoy a good tuna that will exceed their expectation, although at a price that could be higher than their expectation too".

It is obvious that the high class tuna from Japan continues to be a favorite dish for many Chinese and Japanese who are willing to pay for the delicacy.