(CNN) — A Japanese sushi magnate has spent a staggering $1.8 million on a gigantic tuna fish at a New Year's auction at Tokyo's Toyosu fish market on Sunday.

Kiyoshi Kimura, a self-described "Tuna King," who runs restaurant chain Sushi Zanmai, paid 193 million yen (about $1.8 million) for a 608-pound (276-kilogram) bluefin tuna, Japanese public broadcaster NHK reported.

Kiyoshi Kimura with the bluefin tuna that fetched $1.8 million Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images

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Kimaru's purchase, although costly, wasn't even the highest amount paid for a tuna -- at last year's auction, the businessman paid a record $3.1 million (333.6 million yen) for a 612-pound fish.

The latest huge tuna was caught in Japan's northern Aomori prefecture, NHK reported.

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Kimura said the fish was expensive, but that he was glad to get it in the first New Year auction of the new Reiwa era, NHK reported.

Kimura paid $3.1 million for a fish at last year's auction. Takashi Aoyama/Getty Images

"Yes, this is expensive, isn't it? I want our customers to eat very tasty ones this year too," Kimura said at the pre-dawn auction, the AFP news agency reported.

Bluefin are the largest tuna, and can live up to 40 years, according to the World Wildlife Fund.