Kazuyoshi Miura, who turns 59 in February and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has signed a temporary transfer until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
The transfer means Miura could play in the J.League - encompassing the highest tiers of football in Japan - for the first time in five years.
The former Japan striker, who began his professional journey with the Brazilian club Santos in 1986, failed to score in 69 minutes across seven appearances last season while on loan at JFL side Atletico Suzuka.
"My passion for football remains undimmed, no matter how old I get," he said as he prepares for a forty-first campaign as a professional footballer.
"I'm very grateful to be given this opportunity. I promise I will play with everything I have to make a contribution. Together, we can create a legacy!"
Referred to as 'King Kazu' in Japan, this will be Miura's fourth loan since 2022 from second division club Yokohama FC.
Miura, who has also played club football in Australia, Italy, and Croatia, joined the club in 2005 but has remained absent from the pitch for them since 2020.
He scored 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that concluded in 2000, shortly following his surprising exclusion from the squad for Japan's maiden FIFA World Cup campaign.
Miura, who has expressed a desire for 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 United finished 10th in the 20-team J3 League last season.
