Japan: Tuna stakes at all-time high

A GIANT bluefin tuna fetched a record $396,000 (£254,000) in Tokyo yesterday, in the first auction of the year at the world's largest wholesale fish market.

The price for the 754lb tuna beat the previous record.

"It was an exceptionally large fish," said market official Yutaka Hasegawa. "But we were all surprised by the price."

The tuna was bought and shared by the same duo who won the bidding for last year's top fish: the owners of Kyubey, a sushi restaurant in Tokyo, and Itamae Sushi, a Hong Kong-based chain.

Japan is the world's biggest consumer of seafood.