A snow crab has just been sold for a record 5 million yen ($ 46,000) at an auction in Tottori Prefecture on November 7.

The money was spent by Tetsuji Hamashita, president of Hanashita Shoten, a seafood trading company to own a snow crab weighing more than 1.2 kg with a 14.6 cm wide shell. This is also the highest amount for a snow crab ever, according to the organizers of the auction.

"This price is quite high," Hamashita said after the auction. "I'm sure its quality is worth the money." After the auction, the snow crab will be served to lucky customers at a high-class restaurant in Ginza district, Tokyo.

At the Tottori auction last year, the company also paid 2 million yen ($ 18,000) for a snow crab, setting a Guinness record for the world's most expensive snow crab. Local authorities said they would apply for Guinness certification again with this snow crab this year.

Snow crab fishing season in Japan usually starts from November to March next year. This year, the snow crab fishing season starts on November 6 and the first auction is held a day later. Japanese auction houses are willing to spend large sums of money to buy the first snow crabs of the fishing season.

With premium quality, snow crab is considered one of the specialties of Japan. However, since December 2018, Japan has introduced stricter rules for snow crab fishing when the number of this species is declining markedly.