'Sushi Capital' Japan Isn't Sweating Tuna Scare

That breaks down to about $1,238 per pricey pound

(NEWSER) - Japan's first tuna auction of the year generally sees millions of yen tossed around—in 2011, the top bluefin sold for 32.49 million yen, the equivalent of about $423,000. But hold on to your hats, because 2012 makes that look like chump change. A 593-pound fish sold today for a record $736,000 at Tokyo's Tsukiji fish market. That translates to about $1,283 a pound, also a record. More»

Filmmakers go undercover to find illegal whale meat

(NEWSER) - The makers of The Cove, the Oscar-winning documentary about dolphin killing in Japan, have aimed their cameras closer to home in a sting to expose illegal whale meat served at a California sushi joint. The operation began in October, when they heard rumors that the Hump, a Santa Monica restaurant, was selling the endangered Sei whale. After identifying the meat and alerting federal authorities, the filmmakers decided to revisit the restaurant when they were all in town for the Oscars, the New York Times reports. More»

Anal seepage among pitfalls of escolar, aka white tuna

(NEWSER) - There’s likely to come a point in the next few days when you’re sick of turkey, but if sushi is your proposed cure, be sure to steer clear of a fish that comes with a side of anal seepage: escolar. Sometimes seen on menus as “white tuna,” and known to detractors as the “Ex-Lax fish,” the buttery species often ends up in tuna nets—and, Mother Jones reports, the industry is trying to position it for popularity. More»

First-ever video game supported by NHS

(NEWSER) - Turn on the boob tube and get fit. That's the message from the British National Health Service, which is endorsing Nintendo's new Wii Fit Plus video game. It's the first time ever the service has endorsed a video game and it's sure to raise criticism from some health experts, reports the Telegraph. Nintendo can use the endorsement in advertising plugging the updated game, which leads viewers through a series of exercises and goes on sale in Britain this week. More»

(NEWSER) - Jeremy Piven was on the level when he blamed mercury poisoning for his decision to bail on a Broadway production of Speed-the-Plow last December, an arbitrator has ruled. "While we respect the decision, we strongly disagree with it," the producers of the David Mamet play said in a statement. Said the Entourage star, who blamed overconsumption of sushi for his medical condition, "I'm pleased with the outcome of the arbitration and to be completely vindicated in this matter," Playbill reports. More»