An auctioneer in Tokyo barks bids at the Tsukiji fish market- the city's first and most famous tuna auction of the year.
Row after row of prime bluefin tuna are laid out.
Potential buyers are fastidious with their inspections-checking the fish with flashlights and taking notes about the samples.
And with good reason. Bluefin is a delicacy for Japanese sushi aficionados with some fish fetching thousands of dollars.
This year's prized catch- a 507 pounder caught near northern Japan- was sold for more than $70,000.
The highest bidder - a smiling Kiyoshi Kimura-is the president of a popular sushi chain.
