Tuna prices in Tokyo have been steady in June, with average prices moving slightly higher.
At Tokyo’s Toyosu Wholesale Market on 28 June, fresh bluefin tuna from Tottori Prefecture sold in a range of JPY 1,836 to JPY 1,944 (USD 17.03 to USD 18.03, EUR 14.97 to EUR 15.85) per kilogram, with an average price of 1,908 (USD 17.70, EUR 15.56). Other fresh domestic bluefin sold from JPY 2,160 to JPY 10,800 (USD 20.03 to USD 100.17, EUR 17.61 to EUR 88.06); and imports ranged from JPY 3,240 to JPY 9,720 (USD 30.05 to USD 90.15, EUR 26.42 to EUR 79.25). Frozen bluefin averaged JPY 2,160 to JPY 4,320 (USD 20.03 to USD 40.07, EUR 17.61 to EUR 35.22) per kilogram, with an average of JPY 3,285 (USD 30.47, EUR 26.78).
This compares with a month earlier on 28 May, when fresh bluefin tuna from Okinawa sold in a range of JPY 3,564 to JPY 14,040 (USD 33.06 to USD 130.22, EUR 29.06 to EUR 114,48) per kilogram, with an average price of JPY 7,596 (USD 70.45, EUR 61.93). Other fresh domestic bluefin sold from JPY 2,700 to JPY 15,660 (USD 25.04 to USD 145.24, EUR 22.01 to EUR 127.69); and imports ranged from JPY 2,268 to JPY 2,592 (USD 21.04 to USD 24.04, EUR 18.49 to EUR 21.13) with an average of JPY 2,484 (USD 19.96, EUR 20.25). Frozen bluefin averaged JPY 1,944 to JPY 6,480 (USD 15.85 to USD 60.10, EUR 15.85 to EUR 52.84) per kilogram, with an average of 3,271 (USD 26.67, EUR 26.67).
This is from data provided by the Tokyo Municipal Government. Looking at the wide range of prices, one cannot help but assume that these are not apples-to-apples comparisons. Prices for fresh fish swing widely according to the supply on any given day. This is much affected by local weather. Tuna listed by specific location (Okinawa, Tottori) is probably getting a premium based on that location.
Also, even in frozen fish, large fish are sold for higher prices, by weight, than smaller ones. So the price ranges may say more about what sizes of fish were offered on the day than about demand.
To observe a trend in supply and demand, rather than just get a snapshot of the day, the low and average prices for frozen may be a better guide than the high. At the low end, the fish are likely to be nearer a minimum size and therefore more uniform, while the size at the high end has no absolute maximum. For frozen, the low end and the average seem to be close enough to make some sense of the comparison, while at the high end, they are wildly divergent.
Using a comparison of only the frozen low and averages, frozen yellowfin tuna, foreign and domestic, sold in a range of JPY 648 to JPY 1,296 (USD 5.28 to USD 12.02, EUR 5.28 to 10.57), with an average of JPY 810 (USD 7.51, EUR 6.60). (Fresh was unreported, perhaps due to private sale.) This compares with a 28 May frozen low price of JPY 648 (USD 5.28, EUR 5.28) and an average of 821 (USD 7.61, EUR 7.61). This has a close correlation and shows prices fairly steady.
Fresh bigeye tuna from Okinawa sold from JPY 1,836 to JPY 2,052 (USD 17.03 to USD 19.03, EUR 14.97 to EUR 16.73), with an average of 1,944 (USD 18.03, EUR 15.85). Imports sold between JPY 1,620 and JPY 3,240 (USD 15.03 to USD 30.05, EUR 13.21 to EUR 26.42). Frozen bigeye sold in a range of JPY 810 to JPY 2,052 (USD 7.51 to USD 19.03, EUR 6.60 to EUR 16.73), with an average of JPY 1,050 (USD 8.56, EUR 8.56). The 28 May low price for frozen was JPY 810 (USD 7.51, EUR 6.60) and the average was JPY 1,104 (USD 10.24, EUR 9.00).
Southern bluefin sold fresh from JPY 1,620 to JPY 6,804 (USD 13.21 to USD 63.11, EUR 13.21 to 55.48). Frozen ranged from JPY 864 to JPY 3,240 (USD 8.01 to USD 30.05, EUR 7.04 to 26.42), with an average of JPY 1,882 (USD 15.35, EUR 15.35). The frozen prices of a month earlier were a low of JPY 864 (USD 8.01, EUR 7.04) and average of JPY 1,851 (USD 17.17, EUR 15.09).
