Day 5: Tsuskji Fish Market

Our day started early with a trip to the Tsuskji Fish Market. Two thousand tons of fish, vegetables and flowers move through this market each day. Everything is sold by auction to over 800 businesses that come to the auction. Everything is very fresh and so even with all the fish in the market there is no odor.

We saw a 1,400 pound tuna that sold for the equivalent of $7,000 U.S. dollars. Most tuna are around 400 pounds. To test the quality of the fish, an area by their tails is sliced and the buyers come by and pull up the flap and evaluate the fish, even tasting it in most cases. The fish are sold through auction but also through negotiations. Approximately 14,000 people work in the market everyday so it is certainly a very active, fast-paced and vibrant place.

Several individuals in our delegation met with Mitsisui Mining and Smelting and Keihin IPT Manufacturing, Inc.

We attended a dinner reception in the evening at the ambassador's residence. The home was beautiful with a wonderful walkway leading up to the residence and well-maintained landscaping. The Governor announced two new initiatives for a total of 200 jobs in Indiana and a $100 million capital investment in the state. The companies are NTN Driveshaft and Keihin IPT Manufacturing, Inc., an automotive components manufacturer. This is wonderful news for Hoosiers and indicative of the strong relationships we are building here.

Tomorrow we are traveling to Seoul, South Korea.