Kazuyoshi Miura, set to turn 59 next month and is the world's oldest professional footballer, has signed a loan deal until June with J3 League club Fukushima United.
This move means Miura might feature in the Japanese professional league - the top three divisions of football in Japan - for the first time in half a decade.
The ex-international forward, who began his professional journey with the Brazilian club Santos in 1986, failed to score in just over an hour across seven outings 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 prepares for a 41st season as a pro footballer.
"I'm very grateful to be presented with this chance. 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 temporary move 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 remained absent from the pitch for them since 2020.
He scored 55 goals in 89 games in an international career that ended in 2000, two years after his notable omission from the squad for Japan's first World Cup finals appearance.
Miura, 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 Japan's regional leagues.
Fukushima ended the season in tenth place in the twenty-club J3 League last season.
