Kazuyoshi Miura, set to turn 59 next month and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has agreed to a loan deal until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
This move means Miura might feature in the J.League - the top three divisions of football in Japan - for the initial occasion in half a decade.
The former Japan striker, who started his career with the Brazilian club Santos in 1986, did not find the net in just over an hour across seven appearances last season while on loan at JFL side Atletico Suzuka.
"My love for the game remains undimmed, regardless of my age," he said as he gears up for a forty-first campaign as a pro footballer.
"I am truly thankful to be given this opportunity. I promise I will play with everything I have to help the team. Let's make history together!"
Referred to as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth temporary move since 2022 from second division club Yokohama FC.
The veteran, who has also featured in Italy, Croatia and Australia, joined the club in 2005 but has remained absent from the pitch for them since 2020.
He netted 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that ended in 2000, shortly following his notable omission from the squad for Japan's maiden FIFA World Cup campaign.
Miura, who has talked of continuing his career into his seventh decade, said he was ready to "take on a new challenge" after being relegated last season to the country's lower regional divisions.
Fukushima United ended the season in tenth place in the 20-team J3 League last season.
