冻品攻略

Japan's sashimi-grade bigeye tuna prices hit new highs as Taiwanese vessel quotes surge

Source: 冻品攻略2026-04-16 08:000 views0 comments

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Prices for sashimi-grade bigeye tuna (大目金枪鱼) in Japan are being pushed up rapidly. The latest market information shows that the benchmark price for large-size frozen bigeye tuna from the Indian Ocean, sold on a whole-vessel basis by Taiwanese longline vessels, has risen to 1,300 yen per kilogram, continuing to jump from 1,150 yen in February, 1,200 yen in March and 1,250 yen in early April. Some Atlantic-origin quotes briefly reached 1,320 yen/kg, while Indian Ocean product also stood at 1,300 yen/kg. Distribution and processing circles in Tokyo and Shizuoka widely describe this round of price movement as "unprecedented."

This round of increase is not a single-point jump, but a marked acceleration this spring after a steady climb throughout 2025. Taiwanese vessel prices had fallen to 750 yen/kg in August 2024 and recovered to 800 yen/kg in December; after entering 2025 they rose month by month, reporting 850 yen in June, 900 yen in July, 950 yen in August, 1,000 yen in September and 1,050 yen in December. After entering 2026, monthly quotes continued to be revised upward, with cumulative gains of more than 65% in less than two years.

Bigeye tuna is closely watched by the market because it is the most core pricing anchor for Japan's akami (lean) tuna market. After large-size bigeye prices surged, smaller-size bigeye and yellowfin tuna were also driven up in tandem. In early April, the ex-vessel auction price for frozen bigeye and yellowfin of 25 kg and above rose another 50 yen/kg, reaching 1,050 yen/kg by mid-April; the 15 kg-and-above and 10 kg-and-above sizes were temporarily stable, holding at 850 yen and 750 yen/kg respectively.

Behind the price surge is a continued tightening on the supply side. Both Japanese and Taiwan-region longline fleets are reducing vessels, compounded by rising operating costs, leaving noticeably fewer saleable supplies on the market. The earlier low-price cycle had already dampened fleets' willingness to operate, fishing performance was unsatisfactory, and the number of active vessels declined. The recent Middle East situation has pushed up fuel costs, further amplifying upward pressure, and there is even talk in the market of "no brakes."

Arrivals also tell the story. Bigeye tuna arrivals at Tokyo's Toyosu market remain persistently low. December 2025 was originally the peak demand month of the year, yet arrivals that month were only 970 tonnes, down 26% year on year; in January and February 2026 they fell to 616 tonnes and 655 tonnes respectively, down 35% and 36% year on year. Although March rebounded to more than 800 tonnes, the market is still watching a real question: whether monthly arrivals will remain below 700 tonnes for a long time. Historically, monthly arrivals in the 600-tonne range have been rare.

Inventories are also tight. Data from Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries shows that cold-storage inventory pressure is not high. Last December inventories were once reported at 5,628 tonnes, falling into the 5,000-tonne range for the first time; although later revised to 7,485 tonnes, January 2026 inventories were only 7,624 tonnes, still about 30% lower year on year on a comparable cold-storage basis. This means the market is not simply driven by sentiment, but that both spot goods and inventories are supporting high prices.

The biggest contradiction in the market right now is no longer whether prices can rise, but whether downstream can still absorb them. Distributors and processors in Tokyo and Shizuoka generally believe that current prices are already too high for Japan's domestic consumer end to absorb. Industry insiders involved in price negotiations are also worried that end buyers may not be willing to accept them wholesale. As prices continue to be pushed up, whether restaurants, wholesale and retail segments will hold back orders, cut volumes or even switch to substitutes is becoming the most realistic variable in Japan's akami tuna market.