Bluefin Tuna I - クロマグロ 1

At the first fish auction of the year, which all the media went crazy about, the biggest Bluefin tuna - a 212kg giant from Ohma, was won by the 'King of Tuna', who runs a chain of sushi restaurants 'Sushi-Zammai'. The price was

￥74million. phew!


In almost all the Japanese papers, how 'Omedetou' the first auction was and the sheer size and the price of the fish made their headlines, and they also reported that the 'lucky' people who tasted that special tuna said how wonderful it tasted. 


Some papers mentioned that it might be the last new year auction held in Tsukiji as the relocation of the Tokyo fish market is under way.


Well, it could be the last Bluefin tuna auction, couldn't it?
If you think about the number of the Bluefin tuna left in the wild.
Of course, there was no paper that mentioned this.



In Japan, it does not seem that people realise that the Bluefin tuna is really actually an endangered species, nor that the media have tried hard enough to let people know about its endangered status at all.


In many English-language papers, in contrast, the critical situation of the tuna was explained and this Japanese celebratory atmosphere was somewhat cynically reported.


"Japan's 'Tuna Kiing' wins annual auction for $636,000"
https://www.yahoo.com/news/japans-tuna-king-wins-annual-auction-636-000-092840720.html

"Tuna fetches $614,000 at Tokyo's famed New Year's fish auction"
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-year-japan-tuna-auction-idUSKBN14P0MJ

"Threatened bluefin tuna fetches $632000 at Tokyo auction"
https://www.yahoo.com/news/threatened-bluefin-tuna-fetches-632-185346332.html

"Bluefin tuna sells for £500000 at Japan auction amid overfishing concerns"
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2017/jan/05/bluefin-tuna-sells-for-500000-at-japan-auction-amid-overfishing-concerns



Why is it so different!?


I have heard many, many times Japanese people boasting of how much they love nature and take good care of nature but...

Are fish and the ocean-environment not part of the nature you boast of loving?

No creature on earth, including fish has infinite numbers, but in Japan, when it comes to their food, people seem to believe that it just appears on their table in abundance and without end.


I would like to know more about it and try to make sense out of it...