OT - Japanese man pays $3 million for a tuna

[Nitwit]

There is something about Japanese culture that I don’t understand and while I like sushi, is any fish worth this much money?

A Japanese sushi boss has paid a record $3.1m (£2.5m) for a giant tuna at the first new year's auction in Tokyo's new fish market.

Self-styled "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura bought the 278kg (612lbs) bluefin tuna, which is an endangered species.

He spent more than twice the previous record of $1.4m, which he paid in 2013.

Wholesalers and sushi company owners often pay high prices for the best fish at the first pre-dawn auction of the new year.

"I bought a good tuna," Mr Kimura told AFP after the auction.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

Something smells fishy here.....

 

[BBG65]

I don't think they are an endangered species.They are commonly fished for and legally kept.

 

[ILLINOISLION]

I don't think they are an endangered species.They are commonly fished for and legally kept.

Legally kept? You need one big-ass aquarium to keep one of those suckers!

 

[NedFromYork]

Flag

 

[JSCHERER]

Channeling Ted Nugent: "That one I ate last night at Hakkasan sure was endangered ..."

 

[fkkkjm]

I don't think they are an endangered species.They are commonly fished for and legally kept.

Large bluefin tuna are not common - read about it.

 

[BobPSU92]

If he paid that much for the big tuna, will he still be able to buy the groceries?

 

[Pardlion]

There is something about Japanese culture that I don’t understand and while I like sushi, is any fish worth this much money?

A Japanese sushi boss has paid a record $3.1m (£2.5m) for a giant tuna at the first new year's auction in Tokyo's new fish market.

Self-styled "Tuna King" Kiyoshi Kimura bought the 278kg (612lbs) bluefin tuna, which is an endangered species.

He spent more than twice the previous record of $1.4m, which he paid in 2013.

Wholesalers and sushi company owners often pay high prices for the best fish at the first pre-dawn auction of the new year.

"I bought a good tuna," Mr Kimura told AFP after the auction.

3 mil? How many sushis can you make out of this thing? At $6 per piece, you’d need to make 500,000 just to get your $ back.

 

[katchthis]

Hell thats nothing. The Big Tuna is worth $25 million.
https://www.therichest.com/celebnetworth/athletes/coach/bill-parcells-net-worth/

 

[Mile High Lion]

Three million dollar tuna...that's something for people with more money than brains.

 

[interrobang]

Google says the Pacific Bluefin "vulnerable" but not yet endangered. The Atlantic Bluefin is endangered

 

[mjh218]

The Japanese believe that paying a high amount for the first tuna of the season will bring good luck. It seems to be more of a publicity stunt than an indication of the cause of the
Fish

 

[Ct. Lion]

Bluefin Tuna are highly regulated internationally by country and various organizations like NOAA but there are seasons, size limits, slot limits and exclusions for Atlantic Bluefin Tuna. There is even a TV show called Wicked Tuna.
Anyway, here are the 2019 regulations for Atlantic Bluefin.
https://hmspermits.noaa.gov/news

 

[Pardlion]

I just did the math. A slice of sashimi weighs 14 grams. To make 500,000 of them (to sell at $6 each = 3m), your fish would have to weigh 15000 pounds.

 

[81b&w]

I immediately thought it must be an aphrodisiac for them? Seems like Japanese men will pay dearly for a woodie

 

[Frabjous]

Sorry, Charlie.

 

[Art]

3 mil? How many sushis can you make out of this thing? At $6 per piece, you’d need to make 500,000 just to get your $ back.

Sounds like someone is stuck on maguro.

Kimura-san is not going to make his money back selling the fish, even if a disproportionate percentage is toro. He owns Sushi-zanmai which, with 42 locations, is the largest sushi chain in Japan. The publicity is worth what he spent.

 

[Art]

I immediately thought it must be an aphrodisiac for them? Seems like Japanese men will pay dearly for a woodie

Nope, that would be fugu (or blowfish). You don't know how dearly some have paid.

 

[hagberg]

3 mil? How many sushis can you make out of this thing? At $6 per piece, you’d need to make 500,000 just to get your $ back.

A few Japanese businessmen took my Korean business partner and me to a place that was supposed to be pretty good (I couldn't say one way or another, as I'm not a fan). Those crazy effers rang up a tab of almost $500, and that was just for appetizers on our way to dinner! Saki might have been involved.....

 

[Norm Petersin]

Smells like fish, tastes like chicken

 

[Art]

A few Japanese businessmen took my Korean business partner and me to a place that was supposed to be pretty good (I couldn't say one way or another, as I'm not a fan). Those crazy effers rang up a tab of almost $500, and that was just for appetizers on our way to dinner! Saki might have been involved.....

$500 for four (a least)? In Japan that's nothing.

 

[uhlerlion]

Nope, that would be fugu (or blowfish). You don't know how dearly some have paid.

with their lives!!!

 

[SheldonJoe2215]

He better eat it slowly...

 

[Ranger Dan]

Just remember, there likely was at least one other person who was competing to win the bid... I seriously doubt that the winning bidder threw out the 3.1 MM bid without a challenge.

 

[Pardlion]

Just remember, there likely was at least one other person who was competing to win the bid... I seriously doubt that the winning bidder threw out the 3.1 MM bid without a challenge.

Yeah, what I get from this is that they have a contest to see who will pay the most for a consumable. I would compare it to a wine auction, but in such an auction, the object is to win the prize at the lowest winning price. For these tuna guys, the object appears to be to overpay. Weird.

 

[ralphster]

If the Japanese can spend $3 million on a dead fish, why can't they figure out how to use the focus on the camera when they film their porn?

 

[BobPSU92]

If the Japanese can spend $3 million on a dead fish, why can't they figure out how to use the focus on the camera when they film their porn?

Asking for a friend?

 

[LionJim]

Asking for a friend?

Ralphster is just a casual acquaintance of mine.

 

[nittany119]

If the Japanese can spend $3 million on a dead fish, why can't they figure out how to use the focus on the camera when they film their porn?

One would and should expect more from the people that gave us bukkake

 

[Big Blue12]

He's a nitwit

 

[Ranger Dan]

Yeah, what I get from this is that they have a contest to see who will pay the most for a consumable. I would compare it to a wine auction, but in such an auction, the object is to win the prize at the lowest winning price. For these tuna guys, the object appears to be to overpay. Weird.

The same thing happens at the PA farm show, where Hoss’s will pay more for the prize winning steer. It’s not about the price they can charge customers for steaks or burgers, it’s the marketing relative to their purchase.