Giant squid
According to the Tottori prefecture fishing cooperative, the squid was caught on Monday evening off the prefecture's coast, when fishermen were trawling for flatfish and crabs.
The squid measured 11 feet long, and was found missing both its longest tentacles.
Though it was caught alive, the squid died before reaching shore on Tuesday.
Local residents said they immediately wondered how many people the 220 pound squid could feed if cut into sashimi.
Unfortunately the ammonium content of the squid is said to make it rather unpleasant to eat.
According to the San'in Kaigan Nature Museum in Tottori, the squid could have measured around 26 feet had its tentacles been intact.
The museum said giant squids are known to inhabit deep sea waters between 980 feet to 4,920 feet, but the giant squid was caught 790 feet underwater.
In an interview with broadcaster NTV, researcher Toshifumi Wada noted that giant squids are rarely caught during trawl fishing.
"This shows that the squid was swimming at that depth, so I think this is significant" he said.
Tottori prefecture is making plans to preserve the squid for research purposes.
The case follows a series of reports of giant squids found near Japan's coastline.A dead giant squid was reported to have washed ashore a beach in Kashiwazaki city in Niigata prefecture last Sunday.
Earlier this month, two other giant squids have been reported to be caught in fixed fishing nets - one was found off Sado city in Niigata prefecture, and another in Toyama prefecture.
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