Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 59 in February and is recognized globally as football's most senior pro, has agreed to a loan deal until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
The transfer means Miura could play in the J.League - the top three divisions of Japanese football - for the first time in half a decade.
The ex-international forward, who began his professional journey with Brazilian side 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 passion for football hasn't changed, regardless of my age," he said as he gears up for a forty-first campaign as a professional footballer.
"I'm very grateful to be given this opportunity. I vow I will play with everything I have to help the team. Together, we can create a legacy!"
Known as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth loan since 2022 from second division club Yokohama FC.
The veteran, who has also played club football in Italy, Croatia and Australia, signed for the club in 2005 but has not played a minute for them since 2020.
He scored 55 goals in 89 games in an career for the national team that concluded in 2000, two years after his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance.
The footballer, who has talked of continuing his career into his seventh decade, said he was ready to "take on a new challenge" after being demoted last season to the country's lower regional divisions.
Fukushima finished 10th in the twenty-club J3 League last season.
